Some House Republicans are backing a funding bill extension to January 2026 as the government shutdown enters its 37th day. Leaders of a 189-member group that acts as the House GOP’s de facto conservative think tank are formally endorsing a new short-term federal funding bill. With just over two weeks until the deadline for Republicans’ initial Nov. 21 plan and the threat of more government shutdown chaos, the Republican Study Committee (RSC) Steering Committee is calling for an extension into ‘at least’ January 2026.
‘Democrats are responsible for the longest government shutdown in U.S. history — paralyzing our country and deepening the healthcare crisis sparked by Obamacare,’ reads a statement first obtained by Fox News Digital. ‘House conservatives support a return to regular order accomplished only by a continuing resolution that funds the government at least into January 2026.’
A debate is already brewing within the GOP about how long another extension should last, with some conservatives even demanding a bill carrying last year’s federal spending levels through at least November 2026. The House passed a short-term measure called a continuing resolution (CR) on Sept. 19, aimed at extending fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding levels for seven weeks to give lawmakers more time to strike a deal on FY 2026 federal spending.
But progress has been stalled in the Senate for weeks, where Democrats are demanding any spending bill be paired with an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of this year. Senate Majority Leader Thune, R-S.D., has floated the idea of holding a vote on extending the subsidies if Democrats agree to Republicans’ CR, which is currently free of partisan policy riders.
It’s not clear if there’s an appetite for such a vote in the House, RSC leaders’ new statement suggests. ‘We are also committed to delivering a healthcare system that is truly accessible, affordable, and spurs innovation. Congress should reject any extension of the wasteful COVID-era subsidies that fuel fraud and drive up costs,’ they said.
Meanwhile, the government shutdown is in its 37th day, already having made history as the longest fiscal standoff in U.S. history. Some GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Jen Kiggans, R-Va., are pushing for an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies to provide a financial cushion for the healthcare system, but this has sparked internal GOP conflict over the best approach to funding and healthcare reform. The debate highlights the growing political tensions within the party over both the extension’s length and the inclusion of healthcare subsidies in the final funding bill.