House and Senate Republicans are racing against the clock to avoid a potential government shutdown as they struggle to reach a fiscal year 2025 spending deal. President Donald Trump has urged Congress to slash $163 billion from non-defense government spending, a demand that has heightened tensions between the two chambers. While House Republicans are pushing for significant cuts, Senate Democrats have rejected the recent $9 billion rescission package proposed by the Trump administration, exacerbating the impasse. With the September 30 fiscal year deadline fast approaching, both chambers are in a race to finalize the 12 individual appropriations bills required to fund the federal government, a process that has become increasingly difficult due to partisan polarization and the looming threat of a partial government shutdown.
Republican lawmakers are divided on how to proceed, with some suggesting a short-term continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government funded temporarily while negotiations continue. However, the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster threshold has made bipartisan support for spending bills more challenging, particularly after Senate Democrats rejected bipartisan efforts during the budget reconciliation process. Meanwhile, the House Appropriations Committee has already passed its defense funding bill, but the remaining 10 bills face uncertainty due to the narrow margins in both chambers. Critics argue that the current political climate is more polarized than ever, with tensions between the Trump administration and Democrats over spending cuts and government operations putting the entire appropriations process at risk.
Representatives such as Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia and Rep. Andrew Clyde of Georgia have expressed frustration with the current process, citing the near-impossibility of passing 12 appropriations bills in such a short time frame. McCormick noted, When’s the last time we got 12 appropriations bills actually done, and completed in a couple of weeks? It’s almost impossible to do.
This sentiment has been echoed by other committee members, who are concerned that the bipartisan approach required for passing spending bills is being undermined by the Senate’s resistance to compromise. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has warned that if Republicans succeed in passing the Trump-backed $9 billion rescission package, it could complicate efforts to secure enough bipartisan support to avoid a partial government shutdown.
The House Appropriations Committee chairman, Tom Cole of Oklahoma, has also expressed concern over the potential for a government shutdown, noting that the current political climate has created a high degree of polarization. Cole said, We offered them a much better deal than a CR, and they couldn’t do it.
This sentiment has been shared by other members of the House Freedom Caucus, who have historically resisted continuing resolutions or omnibus spending bills, but are now facing increased pressure to find a solution before the September 30 deadline.
Senate Republicans, led by Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, are also working to find a solution, though they face similar challenges. Thune has acknowledged that Senate Democrats are