Congress Passes Stopgap Funding Bill, Dodging Shutdown Crisis

WASHINGTON — Congress on Thursday narrowly passed a continuing resolution to fund federal operations through September 30, staving off a partial government shutdown hours before the deadline. The House approved the stopgap bill 320-99, with support from 113 Republicans and most Democrats, followed by a Senate vote of 77-13. The measure, which maintains current funding levels, now awaits President Trump's anticipated signature, as reported by CNN and other outlets from prior similar crises culminating in this 2026 action. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., shepherded the bill after an earlier attempt failed. That proposal bundled a six-month extension with the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration — a priority pushed by Johnson and Trump. It collapsed when 14 House Republicans joined Democrats in opposition, forcing a clean CR without the contentious provision, according to KFF Health News and The Guardian accounts of the negotiations. The agreement highlights deep GOP divisions and election-year maneuvering. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., negotiated with Johnson over the weekend, securing bipartisan passage despite pushback from the House Freedom Caucus demanding immigration reforms. Only two Democrats opposed the House bill, while Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., was the lone GOP Senate dissenter in parallel votes. Funding lapses would have idled non-essential services across agencies, echoing past shutdowns that cost billions. This CR buys time for full-year appropriations amid debates over defense boosts — like a $6 billion increase in a March 2025 House plan — and domestic cuts. Disaster aid and farmer assistance, totaling $110 billion in a December 2024 package, underscore recurring add-ons, per Christian Science Monitor reporting. As lawmakers eye the fall, the bill excludes debt ceiling hikes demanded by Trump, deferring them to tax and border packages. With $231 million extra for Secret Service post-assassination attempts on Trump and presidential transition funds, the measure reflects heightened security stakes, as noted in AP dispatches.