On Tuesday, the House, led by the Republicans, passed a six-month funding bill aiming to avert a government shutdown scheduled for the week’s end, despite substantial protest from Democrats. The outcome was narrowly secured with a 217-213 vote, predominantly backed by Republicans except for Kentucky’s Rep. Thomas Massie, who opposed it, while one Democrat crossed party lines in favor.
Now, the bill moves to the Senate, where its future remains in limbo. The Republicans hold 53 seats, yet Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has already voiced his strong disapproval. This scenario necessitates support from at least eight Democrats to meet the Senate’s 60-vote requirement and push the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk.
The clock is ticking as the government’s funding depletes late Friday. Before the vote, Senate Democrats expressed discomfort with the partisan tone set by the House Republicans, though a sizable group of them indicated a willingness to consider backing the bill.
After a particularly lengthy lunch meeting among Senate Democrats, Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York refrained from taking a definitive stance on potentially blocking the bill, revealing a lack of consensus within the party. “We’re going to wait and see what the House does first,” Schumer informed reporters.
The proposal features a slight increase in military spending while trimming domestic non-defense expenditures. Crafted by GOP leaders with input from the White House and excluding Democrats from the negotiation table, the bill drew strong objections from Democratic leaders in the House.
Prior to the vote, House Republicans passed a “rule” preventing any ballot in this congressional session from overturning the “national emergency” declared by Trump on February 1, aimed at imposing tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China.
In recent days, Trump and his administration have been actively engaging undecided Republicans, urging their support through phone calls, insiders reveal. Vice President JD Vance also met with House Republicans at the Capitol on the morning of the vote to galvanize support.
Rep. Kat Cammack of Florida, initially undecided, decided in favor after a visit to the White House earlier that day. Meanwhile, the far-right House Freedom Caucus, which often opposes leadership initiatives, surprisingly threw its weight behind the stopgap bill. “I’m 100% behind this continuing resolution,” declared Andy Harris, the caucus chairman, at a press conference with leadership on Tuesday. “This is not your grandfather’s continuing resolution. This is a different type of spending bill.”
Democratic leaders firmly stood against the bill, criticizing the exclusionary drafting process and arguing that it granted the Trump administration too much leeway over spending allocations. They also stressed the need for limits on both Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to cut back or halt some federal spending.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York strongly condemned the bill, stating, “This partisan and reckless Republican spending bill fails to protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, which are known to be on the Republican chopping block. It represents devastating cuts in an attack on seniors, families, and veterans. We cannot support this bill.”
In contrast, Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania expressed his willingness to approve the GOP’s funding bill before the House vote. “I refuse to burn the village down to claim to save it,” he remarked, indicating his potential disagreement with certain parts of the resolution while opposing a government shutdown.
Other Democrats remained cautious, awaiting the House vote’s outcome before stating their positions. “I’ve got to wait to see the impact it has on Arizona,” admitted Sen. Ruben Gallego of Arizona.
Independent Sen. Angus King from Maine, who aligns with the Democrats, voiced concerns about the possibility of the Trump administration exacerbating a shutdown. “That’s one of the things we have to consider,” King said, skeptical about engaging with individuals possibly perceiving a shutdown favorably to expand presidential power. “This isn’t normal.”
Similarly, Sen. Andy Kim of New Jersey held back on his public stance, aligning with top Democratic appropriators pursuing a one-month funding extension to facilitate negotiations. “I haven’t come out publicly at this point, just because I want to see what the House does,” he stated, maintaining hope for a compromise agreement within the ensuing 30 days.
