U.S. House Republicans pass stopgap bill to fund government

The Republican-controlled U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a stopgap spending bill designed to keep federal agencies funded through September 30, averting a potential partial government shutdown that was set to begin this weekend.

The measure passed along nearly party lines by a 217-213 vote, with one Republican dissenting and one Democrat voting in favor.

The continuing resolution would maintain current funding levels for federal agencies until the end of the fiscal year. It now awaits approval from the Republican-majority Senate and must be signed by President Donald Trump by Friday to prevent a lapse in funding.

The move comes amid intense pressure from Trump, who has been urging House Republicans to unite behind his agenda of dramatically cutting government spending. Vice President JD Vance echoed this call for unity during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning.

Several hardline Republican lawmakers, who have traditionally opposed stopgap measures, broke ranks this week. Tennessee Representative Tim Burchett, for instance, said he supported the resolution for the first time because it would reduce federal spending. “It’s the first time I’ve been here … that we’ve actually voted to decrease the size of government,” Burchett remarked after speaking with Trump, adding, “Leadership’s never lied to me and Trump’s never lied to me.”

The bill has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats. Representative Rosa DeLauro condemned the measure, stating, “It is not a simple stop-gap that keeps the lights on and the doors open. This is Republican leadership handing over the keys of the government, and a blank check to Elon Musk and to President Trump.” Meanwhile, Republican Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted against the measure, while moderate Democrat Jared Golden of Maine broke ranks to vote in its favor.

Senate Republicans face a challenging task ahead, as they will likely need to secure the support of at least seven Democrats to prevent a shutdown. Failure to pass the continuing resolution could disrupt everything from financial oversight to scientific research and force hundreds of thousands of federal workers to miss paychecks—an outcome that adds further urgency to the negotiations.

The measure comes as part of a broader campaign by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce. So far, nearly 100,000 of the government’s 2.3 million civilian workers have been fired or taken buyouts, and Trump has effectively shuttered agencies responsible for foreign aid and consumer protections. A second round of layoffs has been ordered, with further cuts expected in the coming week.

With the continuing resolution extending funding until September 30, increases in defense, veterans’ care, and border security are expected to be offset by cuts to various domestic programs. As both sides of the aisle prepare for further debates in the Senate, the coming days will be critical in determining whether the government will avoid a shutdown amid an already turbulent fiscal environment.

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