U.S. Senate Reaches Funding Agreement to Prevent Government Shutdown
The Senate managed to reach a deal on Thursday that aims to keep the government funded and avoid a partial shutdown as the midterm elections approach.
Both Democratic and Republican senators have decided to split a bill, which means funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be handled separately from a larger package of five significant funding bills.
Instead of the larger package, the Senate is likely to approve a stopgap measure, known as a continuing resolution (CR), that will maintain DHS funding at current levels until February 13.
There was some debate about how long the CR should last. Democrats pushed for a two-week extension and managed to secure it, whereas Republicans were advocating for a six-week solution.
Republican leaders are expected to share the draft agreement among their members to see if any adjustments are necessary. The five remaining bills address funding for various departments, including defense, transportation, housing and urban development, health and human services, labor, and education. These bills are considered “year-round measures,” which essentially means that about 96 percent of government funding will be for fiscal year 2026.
President Trump took to social media to express his satisfaction with the agreement on Thursday night.
“I’m collaborating with Congress to ensure the government is fully funded without any holdups. Both Republicans and Democrats have united to secure most of the funding through September, while also expanding the Department of Homeland Security, including the crucial Coast Guard, which is significantly growing and evolving,” he noted.
He emphasized, “I hope both sides will support us with the necessary bipartisan endorsement.”
The Senate could potentially vote on this agreement as early as Thursday night.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) shared that he strongly disagreed with dissolving the funding measure but acknowledged that if they were to do so, it would need to be executed swiftly. “We can’t afford to shut down the government,” he remarked.
