“Today, Democrats stood firm in our commitment to collaboration, not division. The American people deserve a government that works for them,” said senior Democratic Congressman Bennie Thompson in a statement.
The bill now heads to the Senate, which has until midnight to pass it to avoid a shutdown. If delayed, the government will cease funding non-essential operations, furloughing up to 875,000 workers and forcing 1.4 million others to work without immediate pay. Essential services, including law enforcement, would remain operational, but national parks and landmarks could face closures during a peak visitor period.
The funding package allocates $110 billion for disaster aid and financial relief for farmers. Notably, it omits a proposed two-year suspension of the US debt ceiling—a contentious demand from former President-elect Donald Trump that had previously derailed negotiations.
Trump, along with tech billionaire Elon Musk, exerted significant pressure on Republicans to oppose the bill. Musk’s influence, amplified through posts on his platform X, drew criticism from both sides of the aisle. Georgia Republican Rich McCormick remarked, “Last time I checked, Elon Musk doesn’t have a vote in Congress. He can pressure us, but my responsibility is to the people who elected me.”
Trump, meanwhile, signaled his willingness to see a shutdown, declaring, “If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration.”
The Senate is expected to follow the House’s lead, but delays in procedural agreements could extend the timeline. Lawmakers and observers are closely monitoring the chamber’s response to avert a costly and disruptive shutdown.
