Republican efforts to secure funding for a fix encounter a roadblock from Democrats
The United States House of Representatives is set to vote on a continuing resolution (CR) by Friday, aiming to extend federal funding until November 21. However, opposition from a few Republican lawmakers could potentially prevent its passage.
Democrats have expressed their opposition to the bill, preemptively blaming Republicans for any potential government shutdown. Senator Chuck Schumer and other Democrats have criticized Republicans for not negotiating with them, with Schumer stating that the GOP is 'trying to ram through a CR without any input from Democrats.'
Meanwhile, the Senate's version of the Energy-Water bill is still under negotiation. Senator John Kennedy is pushing for a lower bill top line and recently met with Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins to discuss this. The House-passed version of the Energy-Water bill has been held up by Kennedy, the chair of the Energy-Water Appropriations Subcommittee.
The continuing resolution does not include partisan policy riders or funding cuts. House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole has confirmed that the funding extension has been decided to go clean to avoid confusion. The bill allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to more quickly draw down disaster relief funds, but does not provide for any supplemental disaster money.
Congressional appropriators are continuing to negotiate three fiscal 2026 spending bills: Agriculture, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-Veterans Affairs. Some of the White House's requests, such as authorizing the Environmental Protection Agency to transfer millions of dollars toward elevator repairs and expanding the Department of the Interior's wildfire mitigation authorities under the National Environmental Policy Act, were not included in the bill.
Procedural delays could push the vote to next week, potentially shortening a scheduled recess. Some Democrats opposed the Republican Continuing Resolution and demanded additional funding for healthcare coverage for subsidized employees. In response, they presented their own bill to keep the government open until October 31, which included restoring Medicaid funding for low-income Americans and permanently extending Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Without a continuing resolution, the White House would have more latitude to transfer or withhold funding from Democratic priorities, potentially making a shutdown particularly painful for Democrats according to Senator John Kennedy. The Republicans' proposal extends current funding levels and authorizations through Nov. 21, covering extensions for programs like the National Flood Insurance Program and the Defense Production Act.
If the CR passes, the Senate could vote as early as this weekend. The bill extends federal wildland firefighting authorities, as well as firefighter salaries. It also incorporates some funding tweaks (anomalies) requested by the White House last month. However, it does not include extensions for health care subsidies that will expire later this year.
The Energy-Water bill still needs more work before it can be marked up. The proposal does not include extensions for health care subsidies that will expire later this year. These issues will likely be addressed in future negotiations.
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