Congress Faces Deadline Amid Shutdown Stalemate
With the ongoing government shutdown impasse, Congress is quickly running out of time to prevent another fiscal crisis. This situation is pushing Republicans to consider extending federal spending levels initially established by the previous administration.
However, the conversation about how long to maintain these spending levels is already creating divisions among Republican lawmakers, potentially leading to contentious discussions even before the current standoff resolves.
Tom Cole, the House Appropriations Committee Chairman from Oklahoma, expressed his concerns, stating, “We’ve wasted so much time; we’ll have to do that.” It’s been about a year and a half since Congress last passed a federal budget, a process that used to involve 12 individual spending bills—something more favored by Republican members.
Meanwhile, Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho made a remark to the press, jokingly questioning, “What will the third year of Biden’s last budget look like?” The Republican-controlled landscape in Washington had aimed to pass a conservative budget for fiscal year 2026. They are now advocating for an extension of current funding levels through November 21—a continuing resolution intended to provide more time for lawmakers to negotiate a long-term solution.
However, this proposal has been stalled in the Senate since September 19. Democrats are insisting that any spending agreements must also include an extension of pandemic-era subsidies from Obamacare, which are set to expire at the year’s end—a demand Republican leaders have opposed.
Steve Scalise, the House Minority Leader from Louisiana, mentioned that they had previously set the date based on a compromise with appropriators, noting, “The Democrats have eaten up most of that period, so we know we’re going to need a later date at some point, and we don’t want it to coincide with a holiday.”
Some House Republicans have cited several options, such as extending through January or measures that would cover the entire fiscal year, which ends next September.
Conservative members within the House Freedom Caucus, alongside their allies, are inclined to support the longer extension, believing it might be the most effective way to control federal spending. In contrast, a bipartisan agreement requiring Democratic support in the Senate would likely lead to increased spending levels.
Chip Roy, policy chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, shared his thoughts on a potential long-term continuing resolution, noting, “If Russ Vought and strong leadership are using taxpayer dollars wisely, it’s in a good position.” Sources close to the caucus indicated that Rep. Andy Harris of Maryland is considering backing a resolution that would last until December 2026, although specific details are still to be ironed out.
The aim here is to delay further government shutdown disputes until after the midterm elections, with Harris believing this could help ensure that essential workers and military personnel are paid without interruption for over a year.
However, Tom Cole stated that House appropriators are focused on a January extension, emphasizing the urgency in the appropriations process. “I think there’s actually a growing sense of urgency… it’s not a good thing for that to happen,” he remarked, acknowledging discussions with Democrats on the same topic.
On the Senate side, where Democrats have repeatedly rejected the proposed resolution, Majority Leader John Thune indicated that adopting new, long-term measures might soon become unavoidable. “We’ve had a few weeks of delay…we’re going to have to at least get an extension,” he shared with reporters.
Other Republican senators have also suggested an extension might be necessary. Senator Roger Marshall from Kansas advocated for a January or February extension, aiming for, as he put it, “spending less money.” Meanwhile, Senator John Kennedy expressed a preference for a one-year continuing resolution, highlighting the limited time remaining before the original deadline.
