House Democrats emerged from their weekly caucus meeting on Tuesday with a unified front against the latest continuing resolution (CR) that House GOP leaders are racing to push through this week. The stopgap measure, intended to fund the government from October 1 through December 4, faces broad Democratic opposition over its inclusion of funding for the ongoing conflict in Iran and provisions that could expand Border Patrol resources.
Rep. Emily Randall (D-Wash.) captured the mood, stating, “The vibes from the folks that I’ve spoken to in our caucus are pretty clear, that we don’t want more funding for a war that [President Trump] chose to get us into, and we certainly don’t want it for the CR.” Randall was referring to the administration’s military engagement in Iran, a conflict that has deeply divided Congress.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and top House Republicans are aiming to schedule debate and a final vote on the CR this week, with a procedural vote set for 1:30 p.m. EST. However, the path forward is fraught with internal GOP divisions. Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) argued Tuesday that passing the CR could jeopardize the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, a priority for conservative hard-liners who have already stalled floor action on other bills.
Given Johnson’s razor-thin majority, Democrats hold little leverage if Republicans unify around the measure. But any defections on the GOP side could signal trouble for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who would face an uphill battle to clear the bill in the upper chamber.
House Democrats cited multiple reasons for their opposition. Rep. Glenn Ivey (D-Md.) questioned the timing, noting that the CR is being fast-tracked before the House’s summer recess, even though a shutdown isn’t imminent until October. “We still have two months before it’s actually necessary,” Ivey said. He criticized Johnson’s broader legislative strategy—which includes attempting to pass the CR, the National Defense Authorization Act, and a ban on stock trading for lawmakers this week—calling it “a horrific performance” and “no sense.”
Rep. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.) echoed the skepticism, predicting Republicans will eventually be “begging” Democrats for help as the deadline approaches. The possibility of a government shutdown on October 1 looms, but Randall acknowledged that “no one” wants that outcome.
A key sticking point for Democrats is language in the CR that they argue could lead to “unchecked” funding for U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While those agencies are funded through the remainder of Trump’s term, the CR’s provisions allowing fund transfers to immigration enforcement have raised alarms. Randall said, “Our votes and the opinions of the public are the most effective ways that we can push back and try to stop this bad continuing resolution.”
Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), the third-ranking House Democrat, cited “drafting errors” in the bill. “I also haven’t seen a list of, I think it’s over 100 anomalies that the administration is requesting, that is not a part of this proposal, as I understand it,” Aguilar said at a press conference. “So, all of that are signs pointing to this just not being a serious proposal and not being cooked in a way.”
The Democratic opposition comes as the party continues to counter the Trump agenda ahead of the midterms, with leaders like Aguilar using press conferences to frame the CR as a reckless move by a fractured GOP. The internal GOP dysfunction, highlighted by the so-called “YOLO Caucus” in the Senate, further complicates the path to avoiding a shutdown.
