House Passes GOP Stopgap Funding Bill; Senate Rejection Anticipated
The House approved a Republican-led stopgap funding bill to prevent a government shutdown, but the Senate is expected to reject it ahead of the September 30 deadline.
The Republican-controlled House approved a stopgap funding bill on Friday, aiming to keep the government operational until just before Thanksgiving. The vote concluded at 217-212, with Rep. Jared Golden of Maine being the sole Democrat to support the measure, while two Republicans, Reps. Tim Burchett of Tennessee and Victoria Spartz of Indiana, joined all other Democrats in opposition.
The bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), proposes extending federal funding at current levels through November 21 without introducing new policy changes. It now advances to the Senate, where Democratic leaders, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, have pledged to defeat it. Schumer criticized the bill, stating, "Democrats have a different option. We address the crises Americans face in health care, in Medicaid, in inflation and in higher costs."
In response, Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana defended the GOP's approach, emphasizing the need for additional time to finalize a comprehensive funding agreement. "We need a few more weeks to finish this good work," Johnson remarked. "What we did, in a responsible manner as Republicans in charge, is we offered a totally clean short-term CR to get that job done."
The Senate is expected to vote on both the House's CR and an alternative Democratic proposal later on Friday. To prevent a government shutdown set to begin on October 1, both chambers must agree on a funding plan that garners the President's approval. The outcome remains uncertain as the deadline approaches.