House Passes Trump’s Spending Plan to Avoid Government Shutdown

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But Senate Fight Looms

Speaker Mike Johnson led the House in approving President Donald Trump’s government funding plan on Tuesday, narrowly overcoming opposition from far-right Republicans. The GOP rushed to push the bill through as they worked to prevent a government shutdown set to begin at midnight on Friday.

The stopgap spending bill passed in a 217-213 vote, with only one Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voting against it. Now, the focus shifts to Senate Democrats, who must decide whether to pass the bill or risk a government shutdown by rejecting Trump’s proposal.

If Congress fails to pass a spending measure by Friday, the federal government will shut down, disrupting essential services and causing widespread economic uncertainty.

House GOP Pressures Senate to Accept Spending Plan

House Republicans immediately left Washington after the vote, attempting to pressure the Senate into accepting the bill ahead of the March 14 deadline. However, it remains unclear whether Speaker Johnson’s strong push will sway Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to act in time.

For the bill to pass the Senate, at least eight Democrats must support it, but it excludes many of the concessions Democrats demanded to protect congressional spending powers. Senate Democrats will meet on Wednesday to determine their next steps.

House Republicans Call It a Win for Trump

House Republicans celebrated the bill’s passage as a major victory for Trump. Even some of the most conservative lawmakers backed the measure, which largely keeps funding levels that former President Joe Biden previously signed into law, while cutting $13 billion from certain domestic programs.

Meanwhile, House Democrats strongly opposed the bill. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the measure, saying, “The strong House Democratic vote against this reckless Republican spending bill speaks for itself.”

Despite Jeffries’ efforts to unite his caucus, Rep. Jared Golden of Maine broke ranks and voted for the bill. “Even a short government shutdown would create more uncertainty at a time when our country can’t afford it,” Golden wrote in a post on X. “My vote reflects my commitment to making tough choices for the people of Maine.”

Trump and GOP Leaders Mobilize Support

In the hours before the vote, Speaker Johnson worked to ensure Republican support. Trump, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegeth, budget chief Russ Vought, and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles personally called GOP lawmakers, urging them to pass the bill.

During a private meeting on Tuesday, Vance warned Republicans that they would be blamed if a government shutdown occurred. He stressed that failure to pass the bill would hurt Trump’s policy momentum, particularly on border security and economic issues.

“This is the fight the President wants us to take on now,” said Rep. Warren Davidson, a staunch conservative who typically opposes stopgap spending bills. “There will be a time when we formalize spending cuts through a rescissions plan.”

What’s in the Bill?

The House GOP secured billions in spending cuts by eliminating various earmarks and one-time projects, but some Republicans objected to parts of the bill, including a measure that shields House members from voting directly on ending Trump’s tariffs on Canada and Mexico.

“It’s not a clean CR,” one GOP appropriator told CNN, referring to a “continuing resolution” (CR) that keeps government funding stable. “A clean bill would be just one page.”

Lone GOP Defector Stands Firm

Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, the only Republican to oppose the bill, shrugged off Trump’s threat to back a primary challenger against him.

“I don’t think Trump can successfully run someone against me,” Massie said. “I believe he made that threat to keep other Republicans in line. They don’t even call me because they know they can’t change my vote.”

Will the Senate Prevent a Government Shutdown?

With the House sending the bill to the Senate, all eyes are on Schumer and Senate Democrats. If they reject the measure, the government shutdown clock will continue ticking toward Friday’s midnight deadline.

The outcome will determine whether the government keeps running—or if the U.S. enters yet another disruptive shutdown that could impact millions of Americans.