WASHINGTON — House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, introduced a short-term funding bill on Saturday that aims to prevent a government shutdown at the end of next week and keep operations running until the end of September. Johnson plans to bring the bill for a vote early next week, potentially on Tuesday, to avoid running out of funds by late Friday night. The bill’s passage remains uncertain as it was not crafted through negotiations with Democrats, posing a crucial test for the new Republican majority on a bill that requires bipartisan support to become law.
President Donald Trump has expressed support for Johnson’s bill and pledged to sign it to prevent a shutdown early in his term. Trump urged Republicans to vote in favor of the bill to provide stability until September and prevent any government disruptions, criticizing Democrats for their potential role in a shutdown.
The bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), includes a boost in defense spending while cutting back on non-defense discretionary spending. It does not allocate additional funding for emergencies, disasters, or earmarks. Some Democrats, including Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, have criticized the bill as a move to consolidate power in the White House and benefit wealthy individuals like Elon Musk and Trump.
House Democrats have expressed opposition to Johnson’s plan, citing concerns about potential cuts to critical areas like healthcare, nutrition, and veteran services. The divide between the parties raises the risk of a shutdown, with uncertainty over whether the bill can pass the House on party lines due to a narrow majority and possible defections.
If the bill succeeds in the House, attention will turn to Senate Democrats, where Republicans hold a slim majority. Senate Majority Leader John Thune would need Democratic support to pass the bill in the Senate.
In order to secure the necessary 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, Senator Patty Murray, D-Wash., who is the vice chair of the Appropriations Committee, strongly criticized the bill. She described it as a “slush fund continuing resolution that would grant Donald Trump and Elon Musk increased control over federal spending, allowing them to influence decision-making that could harm families in both blue and red states.” Although neither party is advocating for a government shutdown, they are still at odds on how to prevent one. Republicans fear that dealing with a shutdown could divert attention and resources away from passing a reconciliation package crucial for advancing Trump’s policies on border security, energy, and tax cuts. On the other hand, Democrats are insisting on putting limits on the president’s authority over spending allocated by Congress, a measure which the GOP is against. Meanwhile, Democrats have been criticizing Trump, his advisor Elon Musk, and congressional Republicans for cutting federal spending and terminating numerous federal jobs. In a letter to colleagues on Friday, Democratic leaders cautioned that a continuing resolution could result in further budget cuts that they find unacceptable. However, a government shutdown would lead to the furlough of millions of federal workers across the nation.
