More: Democrats familiar with internal deliberations say that maneuver is designed to save face. They say the Democratic leader is giving members of his caucus space to vote how they see fit on the House-passed bill " recognizing it's probably the only way to avoid a shutdown.

So far, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) has been the most outspoken Democratic senator about the need to avoid a shutdown.

"Now it's a CR that we all agree we don't like " but for me we can't ever allow the government to shut down," he told CNN Wednesday, echoing comments he made earlier in the week.

"If you shut it down, you will impact and hurt millions and millions and millions Americans, and you run the risk of slipping us into a recession," he warned.

Other moderates including Sens. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) are also warning of the devastating consequences of a shutdown.

"The president has shown a willingness to cut far and wide, really on impulse in many cases ... if you shut down, he decides what is essential. [Trump] is the one who decides which arms of government continue, which arms get actually shut down. In a strange way [a government shutdown] gives him even more power," Hickenlooper warned.