House, Senate Scramble to Pass GOP’s Long-Term Stopgap as Friday Shutdown Deadline Nears

Congress is racing to avert a government shutdown, which will occur at the end of the day on Friday, March 14, unless some sort of funding legislation is passed and signed into law. 

This is the first shutdown deadline under the second Trump Administration, and it comes with Republicans in charge of both chambers of Congress. 

Here’s the stay of play:

Republicans are going for a long-term continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through the end of the fiscal year on September 30. 

On Saturday, House Republicans unveiled a 99-page stopgap measure that has the backing of President Trump. While the measure largely keeps 2024 funding in place, it does make some tweaks to funding. The bill would:

• Boost defense spending by about $6 billion, including a pay raise for military members

• Grant the Pentagon another $8 billion to shift money towards priority programs

• Allow the Department of Defense to start new projects, unusual for a stopgap

• Boost funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

• Add $6 billion to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) toxic exposure funding

• Repeat old language rescinding over $20 billion in funds for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), bringing the total rescinded to over $40 billion

• Add $4.5 billion ​​to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to maintain current services for low-income families that might otherwise lose rental assistance.

• Boost the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) funding by about $2.2 billion to replenish its disaster relief fund. 

• Boost funding for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Coast Guard.  

Overall, Republicans tell RollCall that overall spending will drop by about $7 billion compared to last year’s level. 

“With no poison pills or unrelated riders — the bill is simple: extend funding and certainty for the nation,” said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK). 

Still, the margin for error is next to nothing for House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), to get the bill passed. He can afford to lose only one Republican vote. So far, Representative Thomas Massie (R-KY) has stated firm opposition.

Other members of the hard-right are taking a different tact. Freedom Caucus member Ralph Norman (R-SC) said Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) changed the game. 

"I don't like [continuing resolutions]. What's changed is the DOGE commission is coming up with things that the American people are seeing," said Representative Norman. "So that's why ... I'll be voting for it.”

Democrats to Oppose Bill

Democrats are a firm no.

“I strongly oppose this full-year continuing resolution, which is a power grab for the White House and further allows unchecked billionaire Elon Musk and President Trump to steal from the American people,” said House Appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT). 

Senate Needs Some Democratic Help

Even if the bill passes the House, Senate Republicans will need seven Democrats to cross the aisle to clear the 60-vote threshold. 

And the spotlight is on Democratic senators from red and purple states. Already one of them, Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, said he’ll support the legislation. 

But Senate Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) has called the measure a “slush fund” for President Trump and Musk.