Government Funding Update: Friday Deadline
March 11, 2025
Legislators continue to work on a bipartisan plan to fund the government. At this stage, the most likely option is a continuing resolution (CR) that funds the government at existing levels until Sept. 30.
Why it matters: Without legislation, the government funding expires after March 14.
- In the House, Republicans can pass a bill to fund the government with a simple majority, but a very narrow GOP majority would rely on Democratic votes if more than two of its ranks object.
- The Senate would need seven Democrats to join all of them to hit the 60-vote threshold to pass any legislation related to keeping the government open.
What they’re saying: Speaker Mike Johnson and many in GOP leadership have continued with their plan to fund the government through Sept. 30, which has President Donald Trump’s support.
- On Saturday, Republicans revealed a bill that boosts defense spending while cutting spending for many other programs. The program cuts make it less likely that Democrats will support the bill.
- Speaker Johnson believes he can get the bill through the House solely with Republican votes. However, around 30 House GOP members have never voted for a CR and it likely will not get any support from Democrats.
- Republican leaders are working to appease deficit hawks within the GOP who have refused to vote for anything that doesn’t reduce the deficit and balance the budget. If this block of GOP deficit hawks vote in lockstep, they could halt any funding bill, in the face of unified Democratic opposition.
Key Democrats do not want a full-year CR and would prefer something that funds the government for a shorter amount of time, possibly another one to two months, to allow for appropriation bills. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has said Democrats will oppose the current bill.
- Democrats argue that a full-year CR would give Republicans and Elon Musk more power to dismantle federal agencies. They also are seeking higher funding levels than currently appropriated.
- However, there is concern among Democrats that a shutdown cedes more, albeit temporary, power to the President in terms of determining what programs are deemed “essential” and operational during a shutdown.
- Observers expect several House Democrats to vote for the bill and possibly enough Senate Democrats to join 53 Republicans and overcome the 60-vote threshold.
The big picture: President Donald Trump and Speaker Johnson have remained publicly committed to a stopgap CR to fund the government until Sept. 30. This commitment gives the proposal momentum, but does not address Democrat lawmaker objections to the measure.
A shutdown will begin on Saturday, March 15, if a deal is not reached, adding pressure on both parties to hammer out a deal to keep the government funded.