Government funding standoff: House passes clean CR, Senate fight looms, shutdown risk rises
Key Questions
What spending bill did the House pass to avoid a shutdown?
The House passed a clean continuing resolution 220-205 to fund the government through Dec 4 and avoid a shutdown before midterms. The White House had sought exceptions for military health, national parks, and FEMA but House GOP advanced a clean CR.
What challenges remain in the Senate for the funding bill?
Senate Democrats and Collins are developing their own version with exceptions, narrowing the GOP majority due to McConnell's absence and Graham's death. This raises shutdown risk and complicates the Pentagon's $87.6B supplemental.
How does the Iran war funding request factor into the standoff?
The request faces Senate scrutiny amid 65% disapproval of Trump's handling. The CR serves as a pre-election maneuver to neutralize the volatile funding issue before midterms.
House passed a clean continuing resolution 220-205 to avoid a government shutdown before midterms, but Senate still needs bipartisan support. White House had sought stopgap exceptions (military health, national parks, FEMA speed) but House GOP pushed clean CR through Dec 4. Senate Dems and Collins are working on their own version with exceptions, setting up a shutdown risk. McConnell's absence and Graham's death narrow GOP Senate majority, heightening stakes for the Pentagon $87.6B supplemental. Iran war funding request faces Senate scrutiny with 65% disapproval of Trump's handling. The CR is a classic pre-election maneuver to neutralize a volatile issue.