By House Republicans have introduced a continuing resolution (CR) aimed at preventing a partial government shutdown set to take effect after midnight on March 14. Spanning 99 pages, the legislation would sustain government operations through the remainder of the fiscal year while implementing spending reductions. The proposal reflects GOP priorities, trimming nondefense expenditures by $13 billion below fiscal year 2024 levels and rescinding $20 billion from the IRS’s enforcement budget. It also boosts funding for veterans’ healthcare by $6 billion and provides modest increases for defense spending and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to address budgetary shortfalls under the Biden administration.
Crafted with input from the Trump administration, the bill enjoys broad Republican support, writes The Daily Caller. It avoids controversial policy riders that have previously hindered negotiations but does not allocate additional emergency or disaster relief funding. Despite this, it maintains funding for agencies that former President Donald Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have sought to dismantle, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. House Republicans have indicated plans to revisit agency cuts in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process.
Democrats strongly oppose the measure, criticizing the GOP for prioritizing tax relief over social programs. Democratic leaders argue that the plan threatens key safety net programs, though Republicans insist it does not cut Medicaid or other mandatory spending. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are exploring additional budgetary mechanisms, including a proposal backed by Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk that would enable Congress to rescind allocated funds with a simple majority vote.
With a slim 218-214 majority, House Speaker Mike Johnson must secure near-unanimous Republican support to pass the CR. However, some fiscal hardliners, including Representative Thomas Massie, have voiced opposition. To rally support, Trump met with conservative lawmakers at the White House, urging them to view the resolution as a stepping stone to broader legislative victories. House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris echoed this sentiment, advocating for the measure as a means to focus on budget reconciliation and advance Republican priorities.
Democrats who once lied that ‘Republicans want a shutdown’ now eagerly plot their own government shutdown. Breathtaking hypocrisy from the top down. pic.twitter.com/Vl5DI2Ktr2
— NRCC (@NRCC) March 9, 2025
In the Senate, the bill will require bipartisan backing, as at least eight Democratic votes are necessary to overcome a filibuster. While Senator John Fetterman has indicated he will not support a shutdown, opposition remains firm, with Senator Rand Paul pledging to vote against the measure.
Politico reported that “Dick Durbin, the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, said Thursday that he didn’t believe enough of his members were willing to support a full-year stopgap bill to get it through the Senate. But Democrats have clearly been keeping their options open — Senate Democratic leaders have avoided saying the party would blanket oppose a clean funding patch, and they’ve privately urged members to keep their powder dry.”
Trump, in a Truth Social post, characterized the CR as a crucial step toward advancing conservative policy goals, emphasizing that it freezes spending while laying the groundwork for tax and spending cuts.
With the deadline fast approaching, House Republicans aim to bring the bill to a floor vote as early as Tuesday. The outcome will determine whether lawmakers avert a government shutdown and set the stage for future budget negotiations.
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