Congressional negotiators have announced a bill that would avoid government shutdowns if passed in the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s term.
The 99-page law roughly maintains current government funding levels until the beginning of fiscal year (FY), 2026, which begins on October 1st. The current deadline to avoid closure is Friday, March 14th.
House GOP leaders are confident they can pass the bill to fund the government with only Republican votes.
However, in a call with a reporter on Saturday morning, House Republican leadership aides emphasized that the bill was “closely coordinated” with the White House.
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House Speaker Mike Johnson has announced a bill to fund the government after President Donald Trump instructed Republicans to avoid the closure on at least October 1st (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The obvious bid to alleviate concerns for the National Security Hawks includes an additional $8 billion in defence dollars, but non-defensive spending, which reduces annual allocations by Congress by about $13 billion.
It also adds $6 billion to healthcare for veterans.
The White House called for additional expenditures in areas that were not present in the last government funding extension known as the “abnormal.”
Among the anomalies and what is being met by the bills requested by Trump, there is additional funding for immigration and customs enforcement (ICE).
The aide said the funding was intended to meet “a lack of operationality dating back to the Biden administration.”
“That money, most of it, is already mandatory before this administration begins, so that demands reflect existing holes,” the source said.
The bill also ensures that the spending cap placed under the previous bipartisan agreement, the Fiscal Liability Act (FRA), will continue. The FRA mandated a 1% increase in federal spending in fiscal 2025.
House GOP leadership aides said that by eliminating some “side deals” that took place during FRA negotiations, a reduction in discretionary non-defense spending would be found. Lawmakers will also not be given the opportunity to request funding a special pet project in a district known as Hermark, another area that Republicans classify as savings.
Overall, discretionary federal defense spending offers $892.5 billion, and non-defense discretionary spending offers $700 billion.
Senate Majority Leader Senator John Tune should take up the bill once it passes the house (AP Photo/Jacqueline Martin)
“Discretionary Expense” refers to dollars allocated by Congress on an annual basis, rather than compulsory expenditure obligations such as Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.
This bill is called a continuous resolution (CR), which differs from the Congress’ annual budget bill, simply extending the government’s funding levels and priorities for the previous fiscal year.
Throughout the remainder of 2025, this will be the third final CR expanded in 2024. Republicans believe that priorities will be placed in the best possible position to negotiate conservative government funding in time for October 1st.
When Democrats controlled the Senate, the previous two expansions were passed under the Biden administration.
And while democratic support is needed to reach the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, it’s very likely that Republicans will have to carry it through the house along with a thin razor majority.
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House Democrats have traditionally voted to avoid government shutdowns. But now, Democrat leaders are instructing House lawmakers to oppose Republican CR.
In a joint letter to a colleague sent Friday, House Democrat leaders accused Republicans of trying to cut Medicare and Medicaid in CR, despite the incorrect mechanism for changing such funds.
“The Republicans have decided to introduce a continuing partisan resolution by the end of the current fiscal year that threatens to cut funds for healthcare, nutrition assistance and veteran benefits,” the statement said. “Hospital Democrats are enthusiastic about bills protecting Social Security, Medicare, Veterans Health and Medicaid, but Republicans have chosen to put them in the chopping block to pay billionaires’ tax cuts.”
But House GOP leaders need to work to convince almost every Republican lawmaker to support the bill despite dozens of conservative asylum history regarding CRS over the past two years.
At least one Republican has already made it known he is against it. Rep. R-Texas, who previously voted against CRS, said last week, “I’m no on CR. Congress needs to do the job and pass on conservative budgets!
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The GOP leader wants close coordination with the White House and a blessing from Trump, but enough to shake up the rest of the holdout.
He hasn’t squeezed certain bills, but Trump said this week about the true society: “I will work with great House Republicans and work together on ongoing resolutions to fund the government until September, giving us the time we need to tackle our agenda.”
“Conservatives will love this bill because they will effectively freeze this year while setting us up to reduce tax and settlement spending,” Trump wrote.
Elizabeth Elkind is the main reporter of Fox News Digital’s reporting in the House of Representatives. Previous digital bylines seen on Daily Mail and CBS News.
Follow me on Twitter at @liz_elkind and send tips to Elizabeth.elkind@fox.com
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