Senate GOP close to cutting deal to avoid shutdown
by Alexander Bolton - 07/31/26 6:00 AM ET
Senate Republicans are close to cutting a deal with their Democratic counterparts to avoid a government shutdown and rein in a proposed rule from the White House budget office that would give Trump appointees more power to withhold congressional appropriations, according to senators familiar with the negotiations.
GOP lawmakers are desperate to avoid another shutdown before the election, but any proposal to quash President Trump’s ability to hold up federal money from going to programs the administration deems “woke” could draw the president’s opposition and scuttle a funding deal.
The proposal would fund the government through Dec. 4, and some Democrats believe that if it passes, there would be a tacit agreement from Senate GOP colleagues to postpone Trump’s demanded budget reconciliation package until after the election.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Thursday afternoon that he hopes a government funding deal comes together in time for the Senate to vote on it next week before the upper chamber leaves Washington for a five-week August recess.
“There are a handful of issues that are still under consideration with the CR, but we filed on it today, we’re setting it up, we’re hoping to vote next week,” Thune said, referring to the continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government through early December.
“I’m hoping that both sides can come together and figure the last couple of remaining issues out so we can get the government funded,” he added.
Some Republican senators — such as those who battled Trump last year over cuts to agencies made by the Elon Musk-led Department of Government Efficiency and the administration’s attempts to claw back federal appropriations through rescissions — want to use the government funding stopgap to reassert their authority over spending matters.
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https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/6001064-senate-funding-deal-omb-rule/
