House passes short-term funding bill to avert government shutdown ahead of elections

Members of the House voted have passed a short-term funding measure to keep the federal government open into early December and prevent a shutdown as lawmakers campaign for reelection.

Action was needed before the fiscal year ends in late September to avoid a funding gap and lawmakers were keen to avoid bumping against that deadline during election season following last year's historic closures.

The House approved the bill 370-48. Because the Senate already passed the measure overwhelmingly, it now moves to President Donald Trump’s desk for his signature.

"It gives the nation and our constituents certainty, certainty that the government will remain open, certainty that our service members will be paid," said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

A record 43-day shutdown occurred last fall over an expiring tax credit lowering health coverage costs through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. A 76-day closure of the Department of Homeland Security followed, ending when lawmakers funded most operations excluding immigration enforcement.

Representatives were anxious to prevent a repeat ahead of the vote and blamed their opponents for recent gridlock.

"We’re going to avoid the threat of another Democratic shutdown," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters in advance of the vote.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the lead Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, urged her colleagues to support the bill during a closed-door meeting Tuesday morning.

She highlighted key improvements over the version passed by the House earlier this summer on a mostly party-line vote. Senate revisions prevent the Department of Homeland Security from shifting funds to the Border Patrol and delay a rule granting political appointees in the Trump administration more power to halt federal grants for programs conflicting with the president’s agenda.

Democrats fear the rule could steer money away from Democratic-led states. DeLauro called the delay an important first step, but said more must be done to block the policy.

"Whether a community receives disaster relief should not depend on who they voted for in the last election," DeLauro said.

The temporary resolution continues agency funding largely at existing levels through Dec. 11, offering lawmakers extra time to negotiate a full-year agreement, though reaching a deal will be difficult.

Republicans want hundreds of billions in new military spending alongside cuts to non-defense programs. Democrats insist on a bipartisan framework that keeps domestic and military funding equal.