House Speaker Mike Johnson introduced a plan on Saturday for a temporary government funding measure until September 30. The goal is to prevent a shutdown on March 14 and provide time for key parts of the president’s agenda to move through Congress this summer. However, Democratic leaders have rejected the plan, setting the stage for a potential confrontation next week. The proposal, endorsed by President Trump, includes cuts to domestic spending programs that Democrats oppose. It also increases defense spending while reducing domestic spending. Although the plan does not contain partisan policy additions, it includes White House funding requests for deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. House Democrats have announced their intention to vote against the bill, citing concerns about cuts to domestic programs. Senate Democrats, led by Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Rosa DeLauro, have also expressed opposition to the plan. Despite House GOP leaders’ confidence in passing the bill with Trump’s support, it is uncertain how Senate Democrats will respond. The Senate minority leader, Chuck Schumer, prefers ongoing negotiations over a short-term solution. The bill is expected to face scrutiny in the Senate, with Democrats facing a challenging decision on whether to support the measure or risk a government shutdown that could impact federal workers.
Jeffries firmly opposed the plan, favoring a long-term negotiated deal instead, and stated that Johnson and his GOP colleagues will have to pass it on their own. However, a few House Democrats have been privately considering whether to support the bill. Johnson and Trump have labeled the bill as a “clean” temporary measure, as it does not include provisions for certain Trump priorities like DOGE cuts. Nevertheless, Democrats argue that this type of stopgap bill lacks crucial language found in full-year negotiated bills that would better enable their party to challenge Trump in court, if necessary. Republicans acknowledged that the stopgap measure would grant the White House more spending authority, which GOP leadership aides deemed necessary as Congress’s spending continues on autopilot for another seven months. Trump urged all Republicans to vote in favor of the funding bill, emphasizing the need to give the administration the flexibility to manage finances until September. This article has been updated with further details.
