House GOP releases stopgap bill to avert shutdown
House Republican leaders on Saturday unveiled a GOP-led stopgap funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, that will fund the government at current levels through the end of September.
Congressional Democrats, however, have vowed to block it citing major cuts to critical services such as health care.
The 99-page bill moderately increases defense spending by about $6 billion more than fiscal 2024 levels, while non-defense spending is about $13 billion lower than fiscal 2024 levels, according to GOP leaders. There is an additional $6 billion for veterans' healthcare.
The measure leaves out emergency funding for disasters and community project funding.
President Donald Trump on Saturday urged congressional Republicans to support and vote for the short-term government funding bill.
"All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week. Great things are coming for America, and I am asking you all to give us a few months to get us through to September so we can continue to put the Country's 'financial house' in order," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Trump said Republicans must "remain united," adding that Democrats will "do anything they can to shut down our Government, and we can't let that happen."
Notably, there are funding add-ons to the bill, known as "anomalies," including a $20 billion cut to IRS enforcement and a hike in funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement's deportation operation.
GOP leaders say the bill was closely coordinated with the White House. Funding levels in the bill are below those previously set as part of that 2023 bipartisan funding deal.
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar said in a statement Saturday evening that the Democrats won't be voting for the bill.
"The partisan House Republican funding bill recklessly cuts healthcare, nutritional assistance and $23 billion in veterans benefits. Equally troublesome, the legislation does nothing to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, while exposing the American people to further pain throughout this fiscal year," the leaders said in a statement.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is plowing ahead with this GOP plan and is set to hold a vote in the House on Tuesday without the backing of Democrats.
However, getting this Republican plan passed through both chambers will be a real challenge with the March 14 deadline less than a week away.
Democrats are not on board with the proposal, meaning Republicans need near-unanimous support. Johnson has little room for error with his slim 218-214 majority and can only afford to lose one defection if all members are voting and present.
House Appropriations Committee ranking member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., slammed the GOP proposal in a statement released Saturday.
"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," DeLauro wrote.
"By essentially closing the book on negotiations for full-year funding bills that help the middle class and protect our national security, my colleagues on the other side of the aisle have handed their power to an unelected billionaire," she added.
