Bipartisan tensions rise over CR as shutdown looms

A seven‐month stopgap funding bill crafted by House Speaker Mike Johnson in coordination with the White House is stoking partisan tensions as the government nears a potential shutdown. The measure boosts defense spending by about $6 billion while cutting roughly $13 billion from nondefense programs, including community health grants and other domestic priorities, reports Politico.

President Trump, emphasizing unity on Truth Social, urged Republicans to back the bill, which aligns closely with his policy priorities. However, House Democrats, led by Rep. Rosa DeLauro, decried the measure as a “power grab for the White House,” arguing it consolidates presidential authority at the expense of local interests. Senate Democrats remain cautious; some warn the bill resembles a “slush fund” that could undermine the checks and balances of federal budgeting.

Notably, the patch excludes a provision to reverse recent cuts in Medicare doctors’ pay—a decision that may further complicate GOP unity, as health industry lobbyists and lawmakers had anticipated its inclusion. The legislation also extends eased telehealth rules and hospital-at-home waivers through September, ensuring continuity of care as negotiations persist.

GOP leaders aim to pass the bill by Tuesday on a strictly partisan basis, leaving Senate Democrats to face the political fallout should the shutdown materialize.