The House’s passage of a Republican stopgap funding bill has put Senate Democrats in a bind: Either back a measure they disapprove of and give up some of the only leverage they will have on major legislation this year,

For weeks, Senate Democrats have tried to have it both ways as they’ve faced a tricky choice: cast a vote that allows for a government shutdown in hopes of saving some federal jobs or give into Republicans’ spending regime in the name of keeping the lights on.

Democrats have a rare moment of leverage in Washington after losing the November election and watching helplessly as Elon Musk dismantles the federal government.