Senate Considers Delay in Government Funding Extension

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and Senate Republicans are contemplating a delay on the House-approved government funding extension. The intention behind this is to allow more time for lawmakers to finalize a spending bill.

The House’s continuing resolution (CR) aims to keep government agencies operational until November 21. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and other Senate Democrats have successfully blocked the bill 13 times, pushing the looming government shutdown to unprecedented levels.

Thune and his party recognize that they need extra time to navigate the spending bill. Initially, they had a seven-week timeline, but that has shrunk dramatically to just three weeks as the shutdown persists.

“The CR that was passed by the House is meant to enable us to complete the appropriations bill by November 21. Unfortunately, that date seems to be slipping away,” Thune mentioned.

Currently, the focus is on creating a CR that could extend funding potentially through January. Thune noted he’s “certainly open to” an extension that might reach into next year. Senate Republicans had attempted to bring three bills to the table last month, but those efforts were thwarted by Senate Democrats.

“When you consider the calendar and how long it typically takes for a bill to clear the Senate and the House, it’s clear that we need more time,” he added. “The longer the runway, the better.”

To achieve this, a new CR might be necessary, or they could amend the House bill. Yet, any Republican initiative would still require Democratic support to meet the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

Changes to the House bills would need to make their way back to the House, but Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has kept the chamber in session for over six weeks now.

When asked about the November 21 deadline, Johnson didn’t clarify if a new CR would be drafted or if the existing deadline would be extended but accused Senate Democrats of “running out the clock.”

“We’re very aware of the clock,” Johnson told a Fox News host. “The irony is that it’s the Democrats who are consuming that time. We needed it.”

Still, House members have anticipated that more time would be necessary due to the prolonged Senate standstill.

Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, Tom Cole (R-Okla.), expressed to Fox News Digital that he believes a new CR is necessary because “we’ve wasted so much time.”

Regarding realistic timing, Cole suggested that short-term measures might be necessary, likely extending until early January, to avoid a large year-end omnibus bill that combines various spending issues.

“There’s apprehension in both parties about what’s referred to as a Christmas omnibus. They might push us right to the brink before the holidays, making it impossible for us to return home until a poorly constructed omnibus bill passes. We don’t want that for our members,” he said.

However, there are voices within the Republican Party advocating for a longer-term solution. A source familiar with the House Freedom Caucus disclosed that the group’s chairman, Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.), is in favor of a proposal extending the bill potentially through December 2026, assuming the bill’s details meet his approval.

In the meantime, Thune expressed cautious optimism regarding the shutdown, noting that the Senate is approaching a scheduled recess for Veterans Day next week, which could potentially lead lawmakers to leave D.C. while the government remains closed.

“I’m not ready to cancel the recess entirely,” he stated, “but if there isn’t visible progress by mid-week, it’s hard to envision how anything will get accomplished by week’s end.”

Thune remarked, “I think we’re getting closer to resolution, but this situation is quite different from previous shutdowns.”