With a government shutdown looming, House Republicans have introduced a 99-page temporary funding bill. They aim to pass it before some government funding expires on Friday. However, it remains uncertain whether they have enough votes to support the plan.
Republicans hold narrow margins in both the House and Senate, which means they may need some Democratic votes to push the bill through. Despite this, GOP leaders are optimistic. They have the backing of President Trump, who recently expressed his support on social media. He believes the bill will help set the stage for future tax cuts and spending reductions.
The proposed legislation would fund the government until September 30 and slightly increase defense spending while cutting non-defense programs below the 2024 budget levels. This approach suggests that Republicans are trying to pass the bill without significant Democratic help. Democrats have previously indicated that any changes to spending should be consistent across both defense and non-defense areas.
To succeed, Republicans will need to stay united due to their slim majority. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson can afford only one Republican "no" vote. Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie has already announced his opposition to the bill, criticizing it for lacking an overall 1% budget cut, a measure he had seen in previous proposals.
Some fiscal conservatives, who have typically opposed stopgap funding measures, are now reconsidering their stance. Rep. Ralph Norman mentioned that recent developments, including initiatives from Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, have influenced his decision to support the bill. Similarly, Rep. Tim Burchett, who has been against stopgap bills in the past, expressed openness to the current proposal after a meeting with Trump.
House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, while not a fan of stopgap measures, acknowledged that it might be the best option given the limited time for bipartisan negotiations on a larger spending deal. He emphasized the importance of not putting Democrats in a difficult position to vote against the bill.
On the other hand, Democrats are signaling they may not be willing to help Republicans this time. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, criticized the bill as a "power grab for the White House." She argued that it undermines negotiations for full-year funding bills that are crucial for the middle class and national security.
Even if the House passes the bill without Democratic support, it will still need at least seven Democratic senators to back it to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote threshold and reach the president’s desk for approval.