House passes stopgap funding bill, challenging Senate Democrats ahead of shutdown deadline

The House of Representatives narrowly approved a Republican-led stopgap funding bill on 11 March 2025, aiming to avert a partial government shutdown set for Saturday. The bill, which funds federal agencies through 30 September, passed with a 217-213 vote, with all but one Republican supporting and all but one Democrat opposing, reports the Wall Street Journal.

The legislation proposes a $13 billion reduction in nondefense spending while increasing military funding by $6 billion. It also allocates additional resources for border enforcement and cuts $1 billion from Washington, DC's budget.

House Speaker Mike Johnson lauded the bill as a step toward reshaping the federal government's size and scope. He stated that passing the 99-page stopgap bill would allow Congress to focus on making deep spending cuts next year.

Democrats criticized the measure, arguing it grants excessive power to President Trump and his cost-cutting czar, Elon Musk, potentially leading to significant reductions in various agencies. The administration has already dismissed or incentivized the departure of over 100,000 federal workers, with more layoffs anticipated.

The bill now moves to the Senate, where it requires bipartisan support to advance. Senate Democrats face a dilemma: approve a bill they oppose or risk a government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune emphasized that preventing a shutdown rests with Senate Democrats.

Should the Senate rejects the measure, House Republicans may attempt to pass a shorter-term stopgap later in the week, potentially bringing lawmakers back to Washington for another vote. ​