Congressional Republicans Face Bruising Battle To Avoid Government Shutdown

Passing 12 individual appropriations bills, each backing abstracted aspects of nan national government, has been Republicans’ extremity each clip nan Sept. 30 fiscal twelvemonth (FY) deadline nears.

But that has not happened since 1996 — FY1997 — and nan partisan situation successful Washington has only gotten much polarized since. Recent Republican-backed authorities has each but sidelined nan once-powerful appropriations committees successful some chambers.

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson must now activity to avert a authorities shutdown astatine nan extremity of nan fiscal year. (AP; Getty; Fox News Digital)

Meanwhile, House Republicans are much broadly eager to adhere to nan Trump administration’s petition to trim $163 cardinal from non-defense authorities spending than their Senate counterparts – which could consequence successful a standoff betwixt nan 2 chambers.

"It’s looking for illustration it’s going to beryllium higher than what nan president’s fund is. And that, I’m not a instrumentality of," Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., a personnel of nan House Appropriations Committee, told Fox News Digital past week.

Another committee Republican, Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.Va., said, "I’m really proud of nan activity nan committee has done truthful far. I do consciousness for illustration we’re gonna beryllium capable to get these bills done. The mobility is, what’s nan Senate going to do?"

Further compounding difficulties betwixt nan 2 sides of nan U.S. Capitol is nan 60-vote filibuster period that astir bills successful nan Senate must ram through. 

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That intends that immoderate spending bills person to beryllium bipartisan, but aft Senate Republicans precocious President Donald Trump’s $9 cardinal rescissions package, Senate Democrats person warned that they won’t play ball. 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that he would for illustration to spell up pinch a regular appropriations process, but that Senate Democrats "have signaled that they don’t want one."

"The Democrats person been very clear," he said. "They are already conferencing nan thought of a authorities shutdown — I don't person immoderate idea, nary thought really that is adjuvant for them aliases to anyone." 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., antecedently warned that if Republicans were successful successful passing nan rescissions package — aft icing retired Democrats during nan fund reconciliation process — that location could beryllium problem down nan roadworthy successful generating capable bipartisan support to walk spending bills, nevertheless avert a partial authorities shutdown. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Democrats mightiness make it difficult for Republicans to walk their spending bills. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)

Sen. John Hoeven, chair of nan Senate Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies appropriations subcommittee, told Fox News Digital that if Democrats planned to artifact everything, past "what would you expect?"

"By moving pinch us, that's really they really will get immoderate of their priorities," nan North Dakota Republican said. "But erstwhile they're going to conscionable artifact us, past why should their priorities beryllium included?"

A House Appropriations Committee personnel who said pinch Fox News Digital connected nan information of anonymity indicated that Republican lawmakers are opening to judge nan anticipation of a short-term continuing solution (CR), a stopgap measurement extending nan erstwhile fiscal year’s backing levels successful bid to support nan authorities open.

"You could spot a business wherever you’re successful a short-term CR, and we’ll effort to discuss topline numbers and each that," that House lawmaker said.

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It’s a business that House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., didn’t norm retired to reporters early past week – while agreeing pinch Senate Republicans’ concerns astir Democrats failing to activity crossed nan aisle.

"I'm ever worried astir a shutdown, because I deliberation nan Democrats person a very difficult clip bargaining pinch Donald Trump. I mean, that's why we ended up successful a CR," Cole said, referring to nan past information of authorities backing talks that resulted successful a CR from March done nan extremity of FY2025.

"We offered them a overmuch amended woody than a CR, and they couldn't do it. So I dream this clip they can, but nan somesthesia connected nan different broadside is very high, and Democratic voters are punishing their ain members for cooperating connected things for illustration keeping nan authorities open."

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole expressed interest astir a authorities shutdown, citing concerns pinch Democrats. (Getty Images)

That could create rumor pinch members of nan blimpish House Freedom Caucus, however, who person fiercely pushed backmost against CRs aliases "omnibus" spending bills successful nan past – though nary specified standoffs person led to a shutdown successful caller years.

Both House and Senate Republicans are dealing pinch razor-thin margins of conscionable 3 votes.

House Republicans scored an important triumph past week successful passing their $832 cardinal defense backing bill. That, on pinch nan measure backing subject building and Veterans’ Affairs, dress up much than half of nan discretionary fund requested by nan White House earlier this year.

But they’re not expected to clasp House-wide votes connected immoderate of nan remaining 10 bills earlier early September, erstwhile Congress returns from August recess.

Senate Republicans are besides gearing up to see their first spending bill, 1 for subject building and nan VA, connected Tuesday that will apt extremity up being a trial of really nan appropriations process, and apt authorities backing extension, will play retired successful nan coming months. 

Sen. Patty Murray, nan apical Democrat connected nan Senate Appropriations Committee, said aft nan rescissions package passed that she wanted to spot nan sheet return to form, and successful doing so, keeping nan bipartisan tone of appropriations alive. 

President Donald Trump wants Republican lawmakers to trim non-defense spending. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

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"It is unfortunate that galore members of this assemblage person voted to make that a full batch harder," nan Washington authorities Democrat said. 

One elder House GOP lawmaker who said pinch Fox News Digital yet downplayed concerns of a shutdown, however.

"The factors of nan Senate wanting much money than nan House, Democrats wanting much money than Republicans – those person been successful spot for a generation. And astir of nan time, shutdowns don’t happen," that lawmaker said. 

"It would look to maine that though nan Democrats are large huffy astir Elon and Trump, and reconciliation, astatine immoderate point, that temperature’s going to slice and group are going to recognize that a shutdown doesn’t really service our nationalist interests."