Republicans will face a critical test of unity if spending bills exist for the vote, avoiding partial government shutdowns and continue to fund until September.
R-La. Mike Johnson, speaker of the group, raised the bill for the vote on Tuesday despite a lack of buy-in from Democrats, essentially opposed them and is bold enough to risk the shutdown that begins on Saturday if lawmakers fail to act.
Republicans will need overwhelming support from members in both rooms and Senate Democrats to deliver the bill to President Donald Trump’s desk. This was one of the biggest legislative tests to date for the Republican president’s second term, urging Vice President JD Vance to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning.
“We have to keep the government running,” Johnson said as he came out of the House Republican meeting, “It’s our fundamental responsibility. The Vice President reflected that sentiment. It was very well received and it was delivered very well. I think there’s only one or two holdouts.”
The strategy involves Trump’s support, asking Republicans to “not fight for another day with the right timing.”
House Republicans said the bill would cut $13 billion in non-defense spending from levels in the 2024 budget fiscal year and increase defense spending by $6 billion. The bill does not cover a large portion of government spending, including Social Security and Medicare. Funding for these two programs is in automated pilots and is not regularly reviewed by Congress.
Democrats are primarily concerned about the discretion the bill has given to the Trump administration over its spending decision. They are already wary of the government’s efficiency run by billionaire Trump adviser Elon Musk, or the administration’s efforts to make massive cuts through Doge. And they say the spending bill will encourage efforts.
“This isn’t a clean CR. This bill is a blank check,” said Rep. Rosa Delauro of Connecticut, a top Democrat on the House Approximately Expenditure Committee. “A blank check for Elon Musk and President Trump.”
A memo released by Senate Democrats says spending bills usually come with specific funding directives for major programs, but hundreds of these directives are under the law. Therefore, the administration has more room to restructure priorities.
“President Trump supports the CR of the year because he understands what is for him. It’s more power over federal spending to choose winners and losers and destroy democratic nations and priorities,” the memo warned.
For example, a Democrat memo said the bill would allow the administration to move money away from the fight against fentanyl and would instead allow it to be used in its deportation initiative.
Usually, when government was going to keep it completely open for business, Republicans had to work with Democrats to create a bipartisan measure that both parties could support. That’s because Republicans almost always lack the vote to pass their own spending bills.
This time, Republican leaders are seeking vote despite democratic opposition. Trump demonstrates his ability to line up Republicans. He met with some of the most conservative members of House Chamber last week.
House Republicans who now vote regularly against spending have said they support this. The House Freedom Caucus, which includes many of the House’s most conservative members, issued a statement of support, “In contrast to the years of abuse of this legislative tool in Congress, this CR is a paradigm shift.”
But Rep. Thomas Massey, R-KY. is still holding out. He says he’ll vote no.
“I think deficits are only important when we’re in the minority,” Massey said. I was asked why my colleague hadn’t heard of his concerns.
Trump has been chasing Massie on social media, calling him “grandchild, I’m too troubled.”
“He should be the Primary and I’ll lead the charges against him,” Trump posted online.
Rep. Tom Cole, Republican chairman of the House Approximately Expenses Committee, admitted that the ongoing resolution was not the outcome he wanted, but said it was time to end the short-term extension cycle that Congress has passed as he is opening his government. This will be the third in the current budget year.
“There’s more to do in Congress,” said Cole of Oklahoma. “There are a lot this year.”
Meanwhile, House Democrat leaders strongly opposed it. It is not very clear how hard they will push members of competitive battlefield districts.
“Hospital Democrats will not conspire in Republican efforts to hurt Americans,” said Hakeem Jeffries, a New York Democratic leader.
Senate Democrats generally appear to emphasize patience at this stage, waiting to see if Republicans can make the bill muscular and muscular through the house before they stand up.
“No comments,” New York Sen. Chuck Schumer said as he ran through the hallways outside the Senate corridor.
Still, Democrats from several ranks and files criticized the measure. Sen. Corey Booker of New Jersey said Republicans were unsettled, “we’re trying to pack in what’s their way and what’s the highway.”
If the bill moves to the Senate later this week, it would require support from at least eight Democrats to pass.
“It’s the Democrats’ responsibility to see if they want to get the votes and ensure that the government doesn’t close,” said Senate majority leader John Tune, Rs.D.
Democrats also introduced an alternative bill that would fund the government Monday night until April 11th. If GOP-led efforts fade, the bill could serve as plan B.
The spending bill could have a major impact on the District of Columbia government. City officials expressed concern at a press conference outside the Capitol on Monday, and later that day, district residents flooded the hearing rooms and surrounding corridors where lawmakers were considering rules for discussion for the measure.
The bill will limit the district to last year’s funding level, but it has already spent at the 2025 level. Democrat Mayor Muriel Bowser said the proposal would require a $1.1 billion cut in spending over the next six months as it already passes a balanced budget and is midway through the fiscal year. This means that authorities will cut down on important services such as education and public safety.
The mayor also emphasized that the district’s 2025 budget focuses on boosting three priorities: public safety, public education and economic growth.
“When Congress moves this action, it works against the priorities that President Trump and I share: making Washington, D.C. the most beautiful city in the world,” Bowser said.
Associated Press authors Leah Askarinam, Gary Fields and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
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