The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed legislation on Tuesday to prevent a partial government shutdown and keep federal agencies funded through September 30, a move that now shifts the spotlight to the Senate, where bipartisan backing will be crucial to secure final approval.
The 217-213 vote, driven almost entirely by Republican support, marks a significant legislative test for President Donald Trump’s second term and underscores the high stakes as a Saturday deadline looms.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., spearheaded the effort, rallying near-unanimous GOP support to push the continuing resolution (CR) through a razor-thin majority. “Here’s the bottom line,” Johnson told reporters at the Capitol.
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His strategy—essentially daring Democrats to oppose the bill and risk a shutdown—drew a firm endorsement from Trump, who urged Republicans on social media to “remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right.”
The vote saw Republicans coalesce around the measure, with Vice President JD Vance making a rare Capitol Hill appearance Tuesday morning to bolster party unity. The bill’s passage in the House, where the GOP holds a slim 218-214 edge, required near-total party loyalty, a feat Johnson achieved despite the contentious political climate.
Now, the focus turns to the Senate, where Republicans will need at least eight Democratic votes to overcome the chamber’s 60-vote threshold and send the bill to Trump’s desk. The tight timeline and partisan divide promise a dramatic finish, with a potential shutdown set to begin Saturday if Congress fails to act.
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The legislation maintains federal funding at nearly $1.7 trillion in discretionary spending, with modest adjustments: a $6 billion increase for defense programs and a $13 billion cut to non-defense spending compared to fiscal year 2024 levels.
These changes are relatively minor in the context of the overall budget, and the bill excludes major entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare, which operate on autopilot outside Congress’s annual review.
While Republicans tout the bill as a lean, no-frills stopgap, Democrats have raised sharp objections, particularly over the flexibility it grants the Trump administration to redirect funds. They point to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, as a looming threat.
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Democrats argue that the CR could empower DOGE’s aggressive cost-cutting agenda, which has already sparked controversy with moves like the reported axing of vaccine research at the National Institutes of Health.
Johnson’s go-it-alone approach has heightened tensions, with Democrats decrying what they see as a power grab by the Trump administration.
The bill’s fate in the Senate remains uncertain, with some Democrats privately indicating they might back it to avoid a shutdown’s chaos—troop pay delays, air travel disruptions, and halted services—while others dig in against what they call a Republican overreach. Meanwhile, GOP leaders are banking on pressure from the looming deadline to sway enough votes.
The funding fight is a vivid early test of Trump’s influence in his second term, with the president-elect and his allies, including Vance, leaning heavily into the process.
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The administration’s broader agenda—evident in moves like the steel and aluminum tariffs rattling U.S.-Canada trade—has only amplified Democratic fears of unchecked executive power. Yet for now, Trump’s call for unity has held the House GOP together, setting the stage for a Senate showdown that could define the opening months of his presidency.
As lawmakers brace for a frenetic week, the clock is ticking. With the government’s funding set to lapse in just days, all eyes are on the Senate to see if bipartisanship—or brinkmanship—will prevail.
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