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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 10, 2025
Contact: Leila Miller | press@indivisible.org
Washington, D.C. — Tonight, Democrats in the House and Senate joined a protest outside the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) organized by Indivisible, Progressive Change Institute, MoveOn and more to stop Elon Musk and Donald Trump’s attempt to steal from consumers by killing this essential agency that protects Americans from fraud and exploitation at the hands of banks and corporations. Videos and highlights can be found here.
While the protest focused on the illegal actions by President Musk and Chairman of the Kennedy Center Trump, it also marked a further escalation in House Democrats’ resolve to fight back.
“We’re headed into a showdown with Congressional Republicans. Do you know what they’re doing right now? They’re asking for Democratic votes to give money to Trump and Musk to continue to raid our government,” said Ezra Levin, Indivisible’s co-founder and co-executive director. “Should democrats give them those votes? No!”
At the protest outside the CFPB, Indivisible’s Ezra Levin asked each Senator and Member of Congress who approached the podium whether they would withhold votes on any funding deal until the constitutional crisis is over. Over 15 Congressional Democrats committed to withhold votes on any funding deal until the constitutional crisis is over:
Sen. Elizabeth Warren
Sen. Chris Van Hollen
Rep. Maxine Waters
Rep. Frank Pallone
Rep. Ayanna Pressley
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver
Rep. Joyce Beatty
Rep. Nydia Velázquez
Rep. Yassamin Ansari
Rep. Bill Foster
Rep. Lateefah Simon
Rep. Gabe Amo
Rep. Gregory Meeks
Rep. Becca Balint
Rep. Seth Magaziner
Rep. Jamie Raskin
Below is Indivisible’s explainer on how House Democrats have leverage, and how they can use it (see more here):
- Republicans Can’t Pass a Budget Without Democrats: Any funding bill that passes the Senate must clear the 60-vote filibuster, meaning Senate Republicans will be forced to compromise with Democrats. That bill will not be the full MAGA wishlist—it will be a negotiated deal.
- And here’s the problem for House Republicans: as soon as the bill looks even remotely reasonable, hardline MAGA extremists will revolt. The House Freedom Caucus will refuse to vote for anything that doesn’t include extreme cuts and right-wing poison pills.
- That means House Republicans’ razor-thin 218-215 majority won’t be enough to pass a budget on their own. If just three Republicans defect, the bill dies. Their chaos and dysfunction have already divided them. Democrats must not bail them out. Republicans will need Democratic votes to pass a budget, and that gives Democrats enormous leverage.
- The Shutdown Deadline is the GOP’s Problem to Solve: Government funding runs out on March 14. If the GOP–which controls both the Senate and the House–can’t pass a bill, they own the shutdown. Instead of letting Republicans ram through a terrible deal, Democrats should be demanding a budget that stops MAGA looting and protects working families.
- Trump and His Billionaire Buddies Want to Steal the Budget: Trump and his inner circle, led by Russ Vought, are openly planning to override federal spending decisions, funnel cash to their allies, and slash social programs. If the budget doesn’t include safeguards—real, meaningful, and enforceable safeguards—they will rob the country blind.
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ABOUT THE INDIVISIBLE PROJECT
The Indivisible Project is a registered 501(c)(4) nonprofit. Our mission is to cultivate and lift up a grassroots movement of local groups to defeat the Trump agenda, elect progressive leaders, and realize bold progressive policies. Across the nation, thousands of local groups are using the Indivisible Guide to hold their members of Congress accountable.