WASHINGTON – Americans are yet again bracing for a possible government shutdown.
Congress has until 11:59 p.m. on Friday to pass legislation to keep the government funded. Otherwise, a majority of federal employees will go without pay or be forced to stop working and most government services will pause.
House Republicans unveiled a spending bill on Saturday that would temporarily keep the government funded until Sept. 30. The bill is known as a continuing resolution.
But it’s unclear if the bill has enough support to pass the House. Democrats have already spoken out against it.
President Donald Trump praised the bill in a Truth Social post Saturday, urging House and Senate Republicans to support it.
“I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country’s “financial house” in order…We have to remain UNITED — NO DISSENT — Fight for another day when the timing is right,” he wrote.
Lawmakers in the House are scheduled to vote on the bill as early as Tuesday.
Here’s what to know about the latest proposal and whether there will be a shutdown.
The bill includes a $6 billion increase in defense spending, including an already-passed pay increase for junior members of the military and funding for equipment, Reuters reported.
It also includes an additional $6 billion in funding for veterans’ health care and new funding for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement aimed at carrying out more deportations, according to ABC News.
But the bill decreases non-defense spending across federal departments by about $13 billion. There is a rollback of $20 billion in funding for the IRS.
There is no funding for the Social Security retirement program, as well as Medicare and Medicaid, included in the bill.
For the bill to pass in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., can only afford to lose one Republican vote, assuming that all members are present and voting and Democrats oppose the bill. The continuing resolution requires a majority vote of 217 among the 432 members currently sitting in the House. Republicans control the chamber by a slim 218-214.
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., said he would vote no.
“Unless I get a lobotomy Monday that causes me to forget what I’ve witnessed the past 12 years, I’ll be a NO on the CR this week,” Massie wrote on X on over the weekend. “It amazes me that my colleagues and many of the public fall for the lie that we will fight another day.”
But other Republicans – including those who typically have voted against continuing resolutions – have expressed support.
“We’ve never had this much transparency and a direct means of finding waste, fraud, and abuse throughout the federal government. This CR allows Republicans an opportunity to DRAIN the swamp and FREEZE spending levels!!” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., wrote in a post on X.
If the bill passes the House, its fate in the Senate is still hazy.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said he was a firm no on the bill, which means eight Democrats would have to join Republicans to clear a 60-vote threshold and advance the bill to the Senate floor for a final vote.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., Minority Whip Katherine Clark, D-Mass., and House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said in a statement on Monday they will oppose the bill.
“The partisan House Republican funding bill recklessly cuts healthcare, nutritional assistance and $23 billion in veteran benefits,” they wrote.
They added that the legislation exposes “the American people to further pain throughout this fiscal year.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said last week that Republicans hadn’t attempted to negotiate with them on the plan yet.
“We believe, we’ve always believed, the only solution is a bipartisan solution,” Schumer said.
Contributing: Riley Beggin, USA TODAY; Reuters
