Minority Leader Chuck Schumer took to the Senate floor Friday morning to defend his decision to support a Republican short-term funding bill that will effectively help avoid a government shutdown at the end of the day.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said he would support advancing the House-passed continuing resolution, but he also wants Washington, D.C.’s, local budget restored if cuts are made in the GOP stopgap.

Veteran Democrats privately believed Chuck Schumer’s decision on the shutdown was inevitable. Others were ready for the top Senate Democrat to lead them into their first big battle against President Donald Trump — and instead have been left fuming.