Jay Block, a Senator from New Mexico, expressed support for U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson's approach to seek a clean continuing resolution rather than engaging in negotiations with Democrats. Block made this statement on the social media platform X.
"We have a great Speaker," said Jay C Block, New Mexico State Senator from 12th District (R). "Listen to this man. All he is asking for is a clean CR like Chuck Schumer voted for 29 times including last March."
The ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which began in October 2025, is a result of disagreements between House Republicans and Senate Democrats over a short-term continuing resolution (CR). According to Reuters, House Speaker Mike Johnson is advocating for a "clean" CR that excludes new spending measures, while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is pushing for the inclusion of healthcare and tax credit provisions. This deadlock has resulted in the freezing of billions of dollars in federal projects and has led to furloughs across various agencies.
The latest proposal under discussion aims to authorize approximately $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending for fiscal year 2026. This includes $892.5 billion allocated for defense and $708 billion for non-defense programs, as reported by Reuters and Axios. These figures are based on drafts debated by both the House and Senate during the standoff in October 2025.
Senate records indicate that on March 14, 2025, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer voted to advance a short-term spending bill that extended funding without any policy riders. The Washington Post reports that this measure was similar to a "clean" CR and was one of several procedural votes Schumer has supported since 2017 to ensure temporary funding.
Senator Jay C. Block is a Republican member of the New Mexico State Senate representing District 12 since January 2025. Ballotpedia and the New Mexico Legislature note that Block previously served on the Sandoval County Commission and ran for governor in 2022 with a focus on energy policy, tax cuts, and public safety issues.
