President Donald Trump on Thursday backed a Senate deal that funds much of the federal government through the remainder of the fiscal year.
President Trump’s support is likely to make it much easier to pass the six-bill funding package the Senate is considering with just over a day left before a partial government shutdown. Senators reached a deal shortly before Trump’s announcement, agreeing to remove funding for the Department of Homeland Security from the package, pass the remaining five bills, and provide stopgap funding to DHS.
“Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to secure the bulk of government funding through September, while providing for expansion of the Department of Homeland Security, including the vitally important Coast Guard, which is expanding and rebuilding like never before,” President Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
“I’m hopeful that both Republicans and Democrats will give us the much-needed bipartisan ‘yes’ vote,” he said.
The Senate is scheduled to begin consideration Thursday night of an amended bill that would provide funding to the Departments of Defense, Treasury, State, Health and Human Services, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation and Education. Democrats called for stripping the DHS portion of the bill after two Americans were shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minnesota this month.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., announced shortly before President Trump’s announcement that an agreement had been reached to separate the DHS portion from the rest of the bill. Schumer’s office said the DHS stopgap will provide two weeks of funding.
The Senate’s move to separate the DHS bill from the broader package ensures that the House will have to reauthorize the package. The House of Representatives is in recess but is expected to return next week, potentially extending the government shutdown into the weekend. Last year’s government shutdown lasted a record 43 days.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told MS NOW earlier Thursday that he was “trying to figure everything out” and wanted lawmakers to return to Washington “as soon as possible.” Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned it could take up to 72 hours for all members to return to Washington.
The Senate is currently “hotlining” the proposal, a process that will see it gain unanimous support in the Senate. With the shutdown deadline approaching 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R.S.D.) will likely need unanimous support to speed up the bill’s passage.
Senate Republicans began moving closer to the deal after a procedural vote on the entire six-item bill failed earlier in the day. Seven Republicans joined all Democrats in opposing the bill, underscoring how Republicans need Democratic cooperation to overcome the Senate’s 60-vote filibuster.
Republican senators said early Thursday that Senate Democrats were negotiating directly with the White House on a deal.
