The House voted Tuesday to approve a short-term spending measure, sending the bill to President Trump's desk and averting a government shutdown just weeks before the midterm elections. The continuing resolution (CR) funds federal agencies through Dec. 11 and passed with broad bipartisan support, 370-48, with 19 Republicans and 29 Democrats opposing it. The Senate had already advanced the measure by a 90-6 vote last month.
The early passage—nearly a month before the Sept. 30 funding deadline—is a rare feat in a polarized Congress, where partisan gridlock has often forced last-minute deals. The lopsided votes signal that both parties were eager to avoid a politically damaging funding fight with control of Congress on the line, especially after two record-breaking shutdowns in the past year.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) backed the CR, but it drew criticism from hardline conservatives. Some objected to provisions added by the Senate, including a delay in a ban on intoxicating hemp products and a temporary block on a rule that would give political appointees more control over federal grant distribution. The White House and cannabis industry sought the hemp delay to negotiate a new deal, while many Republicans want the ban to take effect immediately.
House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-Okla.) defended the measure on the floor, acknowledging the Senate changes but stressing the importance of avoiding a shutdown. "When we passed our continuing resolution over here, we knew it would change when it got to the Senate," Cole said. "Some of those changes I actually agree with, some of them I don't. But they don't really change the substance of the fact, we bought the time that we need to get through the election cycle and hopefully the time that we need to get down to serious bargaining on the other side of it."
Democrats, who have often opposed funding resolutions under Trump, largely came on board after the Senate added the grantmaking provision and to prevent a funding lapse. In a closed-door caucus meeting Tuesday morning, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Conn.), the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, urged support for the package. Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), chair of the House Democratic Caucus, noted DeLauro's influence: "That's a big statement from the ranking member. She's my ranking member, so I have a tough time disagreeing with her."
Some Democrats, however, voiced frustration with the stopgap approach. Rep. Ted Lieu (Calif.), vice chair of the Democratic Caucus, argued that with a month left before the deadline, Republicans should have worked on full-year appropriations. "We have a whole nother month left, and the Republicans who control the House, the Senate and the White House are basically waving the white flag of surrender and saying, 'We don't know how to govern, we don't know how to pass appropriations bills,'" Lieu told reporters. "It is not a good way to run our federal government. But it's the only alternative that's going to be before us, so I'll be voting for it."
The CR pushes the spending battle into December, when the results of the midterms will determine each party's leverage. If Democrats win back one or both chambers, they are likely to seek cuts to defense spending, increases in domestic programs, and curbs on Trump administration powers. Republicans may push for full-year bills, but they will need Democratic cooperation, and the parties remain far apart on overall spending levels. House Republicans have passed only three of twelve full-year appropriations bills, while Senate negotiators have yet to agree on a topline number.
With the election looming, both parties are now bracing for a post-midterm fiscal showdown. As lawmakers weigh the risks to federal agencies, another CR into the new year is likely if Democrats take control. The dynamic mirrors the pre-election stimulus debates, where politics and policy are increasingly intertwined. For now, the focus shifts to the campaign trail, with House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries set to address the media as the House returns to session.
