Internet reported that U.S. Senate Democrats gathered on Wednesday to discuss the interim appropriations bill passed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives (the Senate requires 60 votes to advance the bill, and the Republican Senate has 53 seats), with only two days left before the partial government shutdown. Senate Democratic Leader Schumer has called for a one-month extension of existing spending to allow time to complete a more comprehensive funding bill this year, but the strategy is unlikely to succeed. Schumer warned that 47 Democratic senators unanimously opposed the six-and-a-half-month appropriations bill passed by the House, with only one Democrat in the House voting in favor. "I hope my Republican colleagues can join us to avoid Friday's lockout," Schumer said in a brief speech to the Senate. "Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin said if they decided to shut down the government, it would be 100% Schumer shut down." (Jin Shi)