Top U.S. Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer on Thursday said he would vote to advance a stopgap funding bill, signaling that his party would provide the votes to avert a government shutdown.

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.

Senate Democrats remained tight-lipped on Thursday after meeting on the fast-approaching government funding deadline, creating a heightened prospect for a shutdown.

The government runs out of funding Friday at midnight, leaving Democrats to decide whether to help Republicans pass a bill to avoid a shutdown or block the bill and be blamed for triggering one.

Senate Democrats have vowed to shut down the federal government rather than support a House-approved budget resolution to avert a pending government shutdown at the end of the day Friday.