U.S. Senate Democrats were wrestling on Wednesday with how to respond to a stopgap funding bill passed by the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, choosing between voting for a bill many of them oppose or allowing a government shutdown.

The top Senate Democrat said his members were not ready to provide the votes to allow the Republican-written stopgap spending measure to pass ahead of a Friday night deadline. There is still time for a reversal.

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