By Gloria Ogbonna
The U.S. Senate reached a bipartisan agreement on Thursday to keep the federal government funded, narrowly avoiding a partial government shutdown at a politically sensitive moment as midterm elections draw closer.
The deal follows days of intense negotiations between Senate Democrats and Republicans, with both sides under pressure to prevent disruptions to government operations.
Under the agreement, lawmakers decided to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a broader “minibus” spending package that includes five other major funding bills, according to The Hill.
Rather than passing DHS funding as part of the larger package, the Senate will move forward with a temporary stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution (CR). This CR would maintain DHS funding at current levels through February 13, giving lawmakers additional time to resolve lingering disputes.
One of the main sticking points in negotiations was the length of the continuing resolution. Democrats pushed for a shorter, two-week extension, arguing it would keep pressure on Congress to finalize long-term funding agreements.
Republicans, by contrast, favored a longer six-week CR to provide more stability and reduce the risk of another shutdown deadline looming so soon. In the end, Democrats’ two-week proposal prevailed.
Republican leaders are expected to circulate the details of the agreement among their members to determine whether any amendments are needed before final passage.
Meanwhile, the remaining five appropriations bills covering the Departments of Defense, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Health and Human Services, as well as Labor and Education are expected to move forward as full-year funding measures.
Together, these bills would fund approximately 96 percent of the federal government for fiscal year 2026, significantly reducing uncertainty for most federal agencies.
President Donald Trump praised the agreement in a post on Truth Social Thursday night, highlighting the bipartisan cooperation behind the deal. “I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay,” Trump wrote.
He noted that Republicans and Democrats had come together to secure funding for the vast majority of the government through September, while also extending funding for DHS, including the U.S. Coast Guard.
Trump emphasized that the Coast Guard is being expanded and rebuilt “like never before” and expressed hope that lawmakers from both parties would support the agreement. “Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote,” he added.
According to the Associated Press, the Senate could move quickly, with a vote on the deal possible as early as Thursday evening. In the House, Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) acknowledged concerns about breaking up the original funding package but stressed the urgency of avoiding a shutdown.
Johnson told the AP that while he had been “vehemently opposed” to splitting the bills, the priority now is speed. “If it is broken up, we will have to move it as quickly as possible,” he said. “We can’t have the government shut down.”
The agreement marks a temporary resolution to a high-stakes budget standoff, buying Congress time to complete its work while averting the immediate political and economic fallout of a government shutdown.
Source Breitbart
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