Senate Democrats are attempting to redefine the GOP’s short-term government funding plan as a partisan proposal as the party evolves its messaging strategy on a brewing shutdown feud .

They say a Republican bill to extend current spending levels past a Sept. 30 deadline cannot be branded as a “clean” stopgap measure because it lacks input and healthcare policy demands from Democrats, diverging from long-standing norms in Congress over government funding showdowns as they flex their filibuster leverage.

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A “clean” shor

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