The House of Representatives passed a short-term funding measure on Tuesday to finance the federal government until early December. The bill, which aims to prevent a government shutdown ahead of the midterm elections, received a vote of 370-48. The Senate had previously approved the measure, which now awaits President Donald Trump's signature.
Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, stated, "It gives the nation and our constituents certainty, certainty that the government will remain open, certainty that our service members will be paid." The urgency for action arose as the fiscal year ends in September, and lawmakers sought to avoid a repeat of last year's shutdowns.
Last fall, a 43-day shutdown occurred due to disagreements over an expiring tax credit related to the Affordable Care Act. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security experienced a 76-day shutdown. Lawmakers expressed concerns about a similar situation occurring before the elections, with House Speaker Mike Johnson attributing blame to the Democratic party for previous funding impasses.
Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the lead Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, encouraged her colleagues to support the bill, noting improvements made since an earlier version passed the House on a mostly party-line vote. Changes include preventing the Department of Homeland Security from reallocating funds to the Border Patrol and delaying a proposed regulation that could allow political appointees to influence federal grant distributions.
DeLauro emphasized the importance of equitable disaster relief, stating, "Whether a community receives disaster relief should not depend on who they voted for in the last election." The short-term measure maintains current funding levels for federal agencies through December 11, allowing lawmakers additional time to negotiate a full-year budget, which is expected to be challenging due to differing priorities between parties regarding military and domestic spending.