The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a seven-week government funding bill to avert a potential government shutdown, but the measure is expected to fail in the Senate, leaving the nation’s federal agencies teetering on the edge of a fiscal crisis as the October 1 deadline approaches.
Despite the House clearing the bill in a narrow 217-212 vote, the measure faces an uphill battle in the Senate, where GOP leaders have been unable to secure the necessary 60 votes to advance it. The House version, which includes provisions to increase security for lawmakers and provide funds for the D.C. government, is not expected to satisfy the Democratic demands for broader health care provisions, including extensions for expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.
Democrats, who had previously threatened to block any funding measure without the health care provisions, have introduced their own alternative bill seeking to fund the government for a month while adding the health care language and protections for President Trump from reversing previous spending authorizations. However, the Senate is expected to reject both versions of the legislation, further deepening the stalemate as lawmakers prepare to leave for a weeklong recess before the Oct. 1 deadline.
Speaker Mike Johnson, whose leadership was tested by the close vote, has faced criticism from some of his own members for not including additional security funding for lawmakers in the bill. While the House passed $30 million for lawmaker security, some representatives have called for more spending on protective measures, particularly as the threat of political violence has escalated following the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
The House-passed bill is also expected to allow the Trump administration to access more funds for the WIC program, which provides nutrition assistance to low-income families. The legislation also aims to resolve the $1 billion shortfall in D.C.’s budget by restoring the city’s ability to use local revenue to cover some of its budget needs, a decision that was previously blocked by Congress in mid-March.
With both parties failing to reach a consensus, the situation highlights the deepening partisan divide and the growing risk of a government shutdown. As the House and Senate continue their impasse, the nation’s federal operations remain vulnerable to disruption, with no clear path to resolution in sight.