The GOP-controlled House passed a bill to fund the federal government through September 30, averting for now a government shutdown by the end of the week.
The budget bill, known as a continuing resolution, passed the House 217–213. The measure now heads to the Senate, where it needs 60 votes to pass.
Representative Jared Golden (D., Maine) joined Republicans in support of the resolution, whereas Representative Thomas Massie (R., Ky.) joined Democrats in opposing it. Massie voted no in spite of pressure from President Donald Trump, who threatened to “lead the charge” against the lawmaker in the 2026 Republican primary if he opposed the spending bill.
The president compared Massie to former Representative Liz Cheney (R., Wyo.) before her election loss in the 2022 midterms. Trump endorsed Cheney’s successful primary challenger, Harriet Hageman, at the time.
Trump and Vice President JD Vance worked behind the scenes to convince about a dozen undecided House Republicans to support the bill.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) praised the bill’s passage, saying that House Republicans “stood for the American people” while House Democrats “decided to double down on partisan politics.” The spending bill was a major test for Johnson’s control over the House.
“For years, House Democrats have railed against government shutdowns, but they suddenly changed their tune when President Trump returned to office. Their falsehoods and misinformation campaigns are a desperate attempt to distract from their own failures,” the House speaker said in a statement. “Despite these tactics, President Trump and Congressional Republicans will stop at nothing to deliver on the mandate given by the American people.”
Johnson then called on Senate Democrats to either “cast a vote to keep the government open or be responsible for shutting it down” this week.
In the Senate, bipartisan support is crucial. Republicans hold 53 seats in the upper chamber, meaning at least seven Democrats must vote in favor of the budget bill. The Senate may have a difficult time obtaining 60 votes, considering Senator Rand Paul (R., Ky.) is firmly against the continuing resolution and Democrats are leery of the measure.
The 99-page funding bill boosts defense spending by $6 billion compared to fiscal year 2024 and decreases nondefense spending by $13 billion. Overall, the bill’s spending is lower than last fiscal year’s funding levels. It also grants a request from the Trump administration — $485 million to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to fast-track mass deportations of illegal immigrants.
Meanwhile, the legislation excludes additional funds for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s capability to respond to natural disasters and cuts funding for community projects.
If the Senate fails to approve the bill in time, government funding will lapse by the end of Friday.