The U.S. House of Representatives approved a stopgap spending measure on Tuesday, with a vote of 370-48, to extend federal government funding until December 11. This action is designed to prevent a government shutdown ahead of the November midterm elections, a prospect neither party was keen on as lawmakers sought to return to their districts for campaigning. The legislation, which had already passed the Senate in August, now heads to President Donald Trump's desk for his signature. Without its passage, government funding was set to expire on September 30, the end of the federal fiscal year.
The bill was brought to the floor using a "suspension of the rules" process, which allows for expedited passage of consensus measures but requires a two-thirds vote. This meant that Democratic support was crucial in the narrowly divided chamber, and the measure ultimately received broad, bipartisan backing. This process bypassed potential procedural hurdles, including efforts by some Republican hardliners to block or stall the legislation, particularly those concerns regarding a provision delaying a federal ban on intoxicating hemp THC products and funding for Planned Parenthood.
Despite the broad support, some members of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus raised concerns. Representative Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, expressed his disapproval in a letter, stating that simply extending the status quo would mean Congress would continue to fund policies they had been fighting to change. Additionally, Representative Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland and chair of the Freedom Caucus, threatened to block the rest of the GOP's agenda for the week due to his objections to the spending measure. However, their opposition was insufficient to derail the vote, and with Democratic assistance, Speaker Mike Johnson was able to secure the bill's passage.
The urgency to avoid a shutdown was influenced by the upcoming midterm elections, where Republicans are trying to maintain their narrow majorities in the House and Senate, despite President Donald Trump's low approval ratings. Polling suggests that Democrats are largely favored to win control of the House, while the GOP is expected to maintain control of the Senate. The bill also included provisions to make it more palatable to Democrats, such as delaying a rule that would give political appointees more power over federal grants and ensuring the administration cannot transfer funds to Border Patrol, which had been a point of contention in previous funding debates.
