The House on Friday approved a stopgap spending measure to keep the government open through late November, a key step towards averting a shutdown and giving lawmakers more time for bipartisan negotiations. But the measure is expected to stall in the Senate, where most Democrats have signaled plans to oppose it as they push Republicans to negotiate over their demands on health care and domestic spending.
The bill, which passed the House 217 to 212, would extend funding at current levels until Nov. 21. It included $88 million in new money for security across the legislative, executive, and judicial branches, a response to mounting concerns about political violence after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. It also contained language allowing the District of Columbia to resume spending its own local funds, after a March law had restricted the use of about $1 billion of the city’s budget.
Though House Republican leaders portrayed the measure as a clean extension that bought time for negotiations, the vote exposed tensions inside the party. Several rank-and-file conservatives complained that they were being asked to endorse what they derided as a “copy” of a spending plan set under Democratic President Joe Biden, a framework they had once rejected.
But pressure from President Donald Trump and top party leaders largely held the conference together. In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged Republicans to “stick TOGETHER to fight back against the Radical Left Democrat demands, and vote ‘YES!’” That appeal, combined with cajoling from Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and senior committee chairs, persuaded many reluctant lawmakers to fall in line. Only two Republicans defected to oppose the measure—Reps. Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Victoria Spartz of Indiana. Democratic Rep. Jared Golden, who is up for re-election in a Maine district that President Donald Trump has won in the past three elections, was the only Democrat to vote in favor.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.