WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has enacted a new law that funds the U.S. government until the end of September, thus averting a potential partial government shutdown. This development concluded a contentious period in Congress that saw fractures within the Democratic Party.
Harrison Fields, serving as the White House principal deputy press secretary, announced via a social media post that President Trump had signed the continuing resolution into law on Saturday. The newly passed legislation largely maintains funding levels established under the administration of President Joe Biden but includes some amendments. Specifically, while it reduces non-defense spending by approximately $13 billion compared to the previous fiscal year, it simultaneously increases defense spending by about $6 billion. These alterations are relatively modest considering the overall budget reaches nearly $1.7 trillion.
The bill successfully passed through the Senate on Friday with a vote tally of 54-46. The party-line vote saw 10 members of the Senate Democratic caucus joining to push the legislation forward, despite facing opposition from within their own party. House Democrats vocally urged their Senate counterparts to dismiss the bill outright.
In deliberations leading up to the vote, Senate Democrats engaged in intense discussions over risking a government shutdown. They were frustrated that House Republicans had drafted and approved the spending measure without their collaboration or input. Critics within the Democratic ranks argued that the legislation insufficiently funds key areas such as health care and housing and grants President Trump broader discretion to reallocate federal spending. This is particularly concerning as his administration, along with the Department of Government Efficiency, undertakes the rapid reduction of congressionally authorized agencies and programs.
Nevertheless, a sufficient number of Democratic senators concluded that the consequences of a government shutdown would outweigh the drawbacks of passing the funding bill. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned that a shutdown could empower the Trump administration to label entire agencies and personnel as non-essential, resulting in furloughs without any assurance of rehiring.
“A shutdown will allow the Department of Government Efficiency to intensify their efforts,” Schumer remarked. “Donald Trump and Elon Musk would have the leeway to dismantle crucial government services at an expedited pace.”
For Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, the House’s earlier passage of the funding bill marked a significant triumph. Managing to unite the Republican members and approve the bill without any Democratic support was no small feat, as attaining such results has been historically challenging for them.
