The U.S. House of Representatives took a step forward in preventing a government shutdown ahead of the Friday’s deadline, as the House Rules Committee approved a bill on Monday night.
The proposed measure aims to keep the government funded and avoid a partial shutdown.
Speaker Mike Johnson, who is eyeing a Tuesday vote in the House for a stopgap funding bill, is aiming to pass a six-month funding extension with only Republican votes. The bill, which has been created along partisan basis, could face opposition from Democrats, NBC reported.
“No one wants to shut the government down, and we are governing, doing the responsible thing as Republicans,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be up to [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats to do the right thing, and I don’t think they’re going to shut the government down.”
If the bill passes the House, where only a simple majority is needed, it will then need 60 votes in the Senate to avoid a filibuster. It would require support from at least seven Senate Democrats.
Johnson has very little margin for error in getting his measure passed in the House. With Republicans holding a slim 218-214 majority, he can afford only one defection from his party if all members are present.
If some Democrats are absent, it could provide him with a bit more flexibility. However, if all House Democrats oppose the bill, Speaker Johnson will need every Republican vote to ensure its passage.
Democrats Reject Republican Plan
Democratic senators have made it clear that they will not support the Republican bill. Many argue that the legislation was developed without their input.
“It is not something we could ever support,” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries stated, arguing that his party would not be “complicit” in the proposed cuts to social safety net programs outlined in the 99-page bill, Reuters reported.
As the situation continues to unfold, President Donald Trump is reaching out to Republican lawmakers to secure the necessary votes, signaling that the outcome remains uncertain.
Despite opposition from Democrats, some members of the House Republican majority are backing the measure.
These hardline Republicans, who have often opposed Speaker Johnson’s plans in the past, have shown support for the bill, which would fund the government at current levels until the end of September.
Supporters of the bill argue that passing it is necessary for advancing President Trump’s priorities, including significant tax cuts and increased funding for immigration enforcement and the military.
Democrats Propose Their Own Funding Bill
In response, Congressional Democrats have introduced their own short-term funding bill, which would keep the government running until April. Their proposal contrasts sharply with the Republican-backed measure, which aims for a longer six-month extension, reported The Hill.
“There is a very clear alternative to House Republicans’ plan: immediately passing a short-term patch to prevent a senseless shutdown and finishing work on serious, bipartisan funding bills that invest in working Americans, keep our country safe, and ensure our constituents have a say in how federal funding is spent,” Sen. Patty Murray (Wash.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), Democrats on the appropriations committees in the Senate and House, respectively, said in a joint statement.
“Today, we are introducing a short-term continuing resolution to do just that. Congress should work together in a bipartisan way to prevent a shutdown and invest in working families and communities in every part of the country,” they said.
Both parties had previously hoped to reach a bipartisan agreement on government spending for the fiscal year, but the gap between the two sides remains wide.
Democrats have criticized the Republican stopgap bill for cutting funds to important programs, such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nuclear weapons security, and agricultural research. They also claim it reduces farmer assistance provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
