Washington — Congress is approaching a deadline to fund the government, with current funding set to expire at the end of the fiscal year on October 1. As lawmakers express urgency to avoid another government shutdown ahead of the midterm elections, they have not yet reached an agreement on how to proceed.
Last week, the House was preparing to vote on a stopgap measure to maintain government funding, while Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated ongoing discussions in the Senate about funding solutions. This week, the two chambers appeared to diverge in their approaches.
Thune announced plans to introduce a separate continuing resolution in the Senate before the August recess, emphasizing productive discussions among lawmakers. Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson has been advocating for the House GOP-led plan, which House Democratic leaders criticized as premature and urged for a bipartisan agreement.
The differing strategies highlight a divide between the House and Senate, both of which have narrow Republican majorities. The Senate's 60-vote threshold for most legislation requires Democratic support, whereas the House can advance measures along partisan lines.
Thune has tasked Senator Susan Collins, chair of the Appropriations Committee, with drafting a bipartisan continuing resolution to fund the government until after the midterms. He expressed confidence that Democrats do not want to force another shutdown, while noting the importance of bipartisan support for the resolution.
The Senate has previously experienced significant shutdowns, including a 43-day shutdown last fall and a partial shutdown lasting over 70 days earlier this year. Thune remarked on the need for a new approach moving forward, stating that the Senate is working to ensure a bipartisan product is ready for quick action.
As the House prepares for a five-week recess, the funding issue is likely to remain unresolved until lawmakers reconvene in September. Complicating matters, the House is also seeking additional funding for the Pentagon through the budget reconciliation process, which allows the majority party to pass measures without bipartisan support. Thune has indicated that if bipartisan efforts fail, the Senate may consider using the budget resolution to fund the government without Democratic assistance.