US Domestic — 2026-07-22

House Narrowly Passes Stopgap Spending Bill to Avoid Third Shutdown Since September

BLUFSenate passage of a funding measure before the August recess is likely, though the anomaly gap over military spending will force a rewrite that tests whether Thune can hold his caucus without reconciliation.

The House voted 220 to 205 on Tuesday to pass a continuing resolution extending government funding at current levels through December 4 12. Six Democrats, including Reps. Henry Cuellar, Jared Golden, and Gabe Vasquez, joined nearly all Republicans in support, while Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie was the lone GOP defector 2. House Democratic leaders Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar said the bill was drafted without bipartisan input and omitted funding protections Democrats sought 12. The measure now goes to the Senate, where Majority Leader John Thune said he intends to bring a funding vote before the August recess and where Senate Republicans have flagged the bill's lack of White House-requested "anomalies," including added military funding 12. Thune said Republicans could turn to the reconciliation process to fund the government if bipartisan talks fail, a prospect Alaska Republican Lisa Murkowski said she opposes 12.

Analysis
Passage moves funding risk from the House to a Senate rewrite fight over White House-requested anomalies, chiefly added military funding, with the House already departing for August recess Thursday while the Senate stays in session two additional weeks. Thune's stated intent to force a floor vote before the August break makes Senate action likely within that window, though Murkowski's public opposition to a reconciliation fallback narrows Republicans' options if bipartisan talks stall. High confidence rests on Thune's public commitment and the compressed calendar, though the anomaly gap and divergent chamber schedules leave the final mechanism unresolved.

4 sources