Senate Republicans and Democrats have reached a deal to fund the government through December 11, avoiding a shutdown before the midterm elections and clearing the way for lawmakers to leave Washington for their traditional August recess. The short-term spending bill generally maintains current federal funding levels and marks an unusually early action by Congress, which typically waits until the final days before a deadline to pass such measures.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune said passing the measure was his top priority before the Senate leaves for its five-week August break. “We need to ensure that they do not face a third” shutdown, Thune said, referring to two record-breaking government shutdowns the country experienced in the past 10 months — a 43-day shutdown that ended in November 2025 and a 76-day funding battle over Department of Homeland Security operations.
The late-summer action on a funding fix is unusual. Normally, Congress waits until the final days or hours of a funding deadline to pass short-term funding extensions, but this time senators are acting two months before the end of the fiscal year on September 30. Both parties want to avoid another shutdown during campaign season, when polling has shown neither party successfully evaded blame for last fall’s record shutdown.
The bill includes several provisions that reflect bipartisan negotiations. Democrats secured language ensuring the administration cannot transfer funds from other programs to the Border Patrol, and they blocked the White House’s request to include $1 billion to build “Trump-class” battleships. The deal also addresses a controversial rule from the White House Office of Management and Budget that would give Trump appointees authority over federal grants — an issue that united Republicans and Democrats in concern.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins led the Republican effort to restrict the OMB rule. Collins warned that the proposal would “conflict with Congress’s control over the federal funding process” and could “harm small and rural communities” and undermine biomedical research. Senate GOP negotiators worked with Democrats to add language blocking the rule’s implementation during the stopgap period, though some Trump allies have warned the provision could complicate final passage.
The deal comes as Congress faces a challenging budget season ahead. Republicans seek a dramatic increase in defense spending while cutting non-defense programs, with Trump proposing a 10% cut in non-defense programs overall and a 44% boost to defense spending. By extending government funding now, lawmakers can use the ensuing months to work out their differences on full-year spending before returning to negotiate after the election.
Democratic negotiators indicated they are ready to support the measure. “As soon as Thune brings it up,” said Sen. Patty Murray, the vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, signaling Democratic readiness to pass the continuing resolution. Several Democrats told reporters they hope to get the stopgap passed before the August recess, which would remove another possible shutdown threat from the fall campaign season.
Sources
- PBS News — details of the Senate funding deal through December 11, exceptions blocked by Democrats, timing before August recess, and Senate Majority Leader Thune’s statement
- The Hill — negotiations over the OMB grants rule, statements from Senators Collins, Murray, Murkowski, and other details on the bipartisan effort to restrict the White House budget office’s authority
