Congress moved closer Monday to a potential federal government shutdown as Republican leaders signaled they could force a test vote this week while Democrats said they will block funding that does not protect health care subsidies relied on by millions.
With the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, GOP leaders in the House said they could tee up a short-term spending bill to keep the government fully operational when the new budget year begins Oct. 1. The measure would likely be a temporary patch extending funding into mid-November, lawmakers said, but Democrats vowed not to back a stopgap that fails to extend enhanced tax credits that lower insurance premiums on Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the short-term bill would include added security for lawmakers and noted the administration has asked Congress for $58 million in increased funding for the U.S. Marshals Service and security for the Supreme Court. “I want everyone within the sound of my voice to understand: Members of Congress are safe,” Johnson said at the Capitol. “They will be kept safe. They have security measures now at their residence and personally. We can always enhance and do more and do better.”
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said they are united in opposing any bill that does not include a deal to preserve the subsidies, which were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic and are due to expire. Schumer warned Republicans and the White House would be held responsible if they refused to negotiate. “If one side refuses to negotiate, they are the ones causing the shutdown,” Schumer said.
Jeffries issued a sharp rebuke of Republican plans and of former President Donald Trump’s call for party unity. “House Democrats will not support a partisan Republican spending bill that continues to gut the healthcare of the American people. That’s what this shutdown fight is all about, Mr. President,” Jeffries said, pointing to rising premiums and closures of hospitals, nursing homes and community-based clinics in some areas.
Trump, seeking to marshal Republican support, urged party members on social media to remain unified and to oppose Democratic demands. “In times like these, Republicans have to stick TOGETHER to fight back against the Radical Left Democrat demands, and vote ‘YES!’” he wrote.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., said senators would prefer to vote this week if the House acts, because the Senate is scheduled to be out of session next week. Top appropriators in both chambers have urged that any continuing resolution fund the government through Nov. 20, but leaders said a final date had not been set.
Lawmakers are at odds over both the substance and the timing of a stopgap measure. Democrats argue that without extending the enhanced tax credits, insurance premiums will spike and tens of millions could lose affordability protections. The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that if Congress fails to act, the number of people without insurance would increase by about 2.2 million in 2026 and by about 3.7 million in 2027.
There is bipartisan support for extending some form of the tax credits, but lawmakers differ on the mechanics and the length of an extension. Some Democrats say they could vote for a “clean” continuing resolution that preserves current funding levels if Republicans give credible assurances that health care provisions will be addressed promptly. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., said he would back a short-term stopgap “if it’s for a limited time to reach the solution.”
Republicans have resisted tying a short-term spending bill to broader health care or social policy changes favored by Democrats. Some GOP lawmakers have sought to use spending vehicles to press for other priorities, including proposals related to foreign policy sanctions, but Thune indicated any short-term measure likely would not include the secondary sanctions on countries that import Russian oil without allied cooperation.
If Congress fails to pass at least a temporary funding measure by the end of September, some federal offices and services could close or operate at reduced capacity. That prospect has sharpened partisan rhetoric on the Hill, with Democrats increasingly willing to use the threat of a shutdown as leverage to protect the subsidies and other domestic priorities.
Leaders of both parties face pressure from their political bases: Democrats to defend affordability and coverage, and Republicans to advance fiscal and security priorities while avoiding blame for a shutdown. With the House prepared to move quickly and the Senate’s calendar tight, lawmakers said the coming days could determine whether they reach a temporary compromise or head into a disruptive funding standoff that would affect federal operations and millions of Americans who rely on ACA marketplace subsidies.