US Government Shutdown Looms Amid Funding Standoff

The US Senate passed a government spending package late Friday, but a partial government shutdown appears unavoidable as House Speaker Mike Johnson does not plan to hold a vote on the legislation until Monday.

Funding is set to expire at midnight for several key government agencies, including the Treasury, Defense, Homeland Security, Transportation, Health and Human Services, and Labor Departments. While these agencies will begin the formal process of shutting down, the partial shutdown is not expected to cause widespread disruption if it is resolved early next week.

In anticipation of the lapse, the White House budget office instructed affected agencies on Friday night to begin their shutdown procedures. Agencies typically require half a day to wind down operations and another half a day to resume them.

"It is our hope that this lapse will be short," stated White House budget director Russ Vought in a memo. An administration official noted that if the House approves the funding bill on Monday, operations could potentially reopen the same day.

A Brief Lapse or a Repeat Crisis?

This funding gap marks the second time Congress has failed to fund the government during President Donald Trump's second term. The previous spending dispute led to a 43-day impasse that disrupted food aid for millions, cancelled thousands of flights, and left federal workers unpaid for over a month.

Lawmakers are forecasting that the current spending lapse will be resolved within days. If so, it would mean few interruptions to travel, the release of government economic data, and federal employee paychecks.

Inside the Congressional Deadlock

The path to funding was complicated by disputes over immigration policy and a last-minute objection from a key Republican senator.

Immigration Enforcement at the Heart of the Dispute

The shutdown fight intensified after a US citizen, Alex Pretti, was killed during a confrontation with Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis last weekend. In response, Democrats refused to approve new funding for the Department of Homeland Security without new restrictions on immigration enforcement.

The bill passed by the Senate addresses this by funding the Homeland Security Department for only two weeks, creating a window for further negotiations. The package funds several other government agencies through the end of September.

Senator Graham's Last-Minute Obstruction

The spending package faced delays late Thursday after Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina announced he was blocking the bill. His objection stemmed from the bill's repeal of a law that could allow him to receive millions of dollars in court judgments.

The House had previously voted unanimously to repeal the provision, which permits eight senators to sue the Justice Department over phone metadata seized during the "Arctic Frost" investigation into efforts to undermine the 2020 presidential election.

Graham has stated he intends to use the law to seek legal recourse and make a point about the separation of powers. House Republicans, who sponsored the repeal, argued the provision is a waste of money and an unfair benefit to the investigated senators.

In a speech on the Senate floor Friday, Graham directly addressed the House effort, stating, "You jammed me, Speaker Johnson. I won't forget this."

The House Prepares for a Decisive Vote

Speaker Johnson plans to bring the spending package to the House floor for a vote on Monday evening. According to a source familiar with the plan, the vote will be held under an expedited process that requires a two-thirds majority for passage.

The outcome remains uncertain, with potential resistance from both conservative and progressive wings. House Democratic leaders, who were not part of the White House negotiations, are still evaluating the package and have not yet committed to supporting it, according to a Democratic aide.