A plan to avert a partial government shutdown backed by President Donald Trump is heading for a House-wide vote on Tuesday. The House Rules Committee advanced the bill along party lines and Tuesday is expected to see a vote to allow for lawmakers to debate the bill, followed by a chamber-wide vote on the legislation later in the afternoon. This is a major test for Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson as they seek to corral a fractured House GOP conference on the subject of government funding. As of Monday evening, the bill’s chances of passing are uncertain, even with Trump making calls to potential holdouts.
Vice President JD Vance will be on Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning in an apparent bid to help push dissenters along. With at least four House Republicans undecided or leaning against the bill, Johnson can only afford to lose two Republicans to pass the bill along party lines. The bill is a continuing resolution to extend fiscal 2024 funding levels to keep the government open through the start of fiscal 2026 on Oct. 1. While Democrats have outnumbered Republicans in anti-government shutdown votes in recent years, this time their opposition to the bill has many left-wing lawmakers signaling their disapproval.
House Republicans are largely expected to shoulder the bill alone, despite a significant number of GOP lawmakers who would normally oppose extending Biden administration-era funding levels. House GOP leaders are confident that the bill will pass, with optimism being supported by the fact that key backers of the CR are senior members of the House Freedom Caucus. The bill allocates an additional $8 billion in defense spending to address national security concerns, while non-defense spending would decrease by about $13 billion. Additional funds are included to support Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations.
One vocal opponent of the bill is Rep. Thomas Massie, a staunch critic of Speaker Johnson, who wrote on X that he will be voting against the bill. The legislation, released over the weekend, includes cuts to non-defense discretionary spending by eliminating some “side deals” made during negotiations. Lawmakers would not have the opportunity to request funding for earmarks, which Republicans are classifying as savings. This allows Republican leaders to claim a win on no meaningful government spending increases over fiscal 2025.
Even with the bill’s chances uncertain, House GOP leaders are confident in its passage. With Vice President JD Vance making appearances on Capitol Hill to help sway dissenters, and key backing from senior members of the House Freedom Caucus, there is optimism that the bill will pass along party lines. The bill includes additional defense spending and cuts to non-defense discretionary spending, with added funds for Immigrations and Customs Enforcement operations. Despite opposition from some lawmakers, the bill aims to avert a partial government shutdown and keep the government funded through the start of fiscal 2026.
