Congress avoids serious government shutdown – for now – after lawmakers reach bipartisan deal

WASHINGTON – Lawmakers have reached a bipartisan deal to temporarily avoid a major shutdown, keeping the government open through at least mid-March and boosting disaster relief efforts after hurricanes devastated the Southeast this year.

Government funding is set to run out at midnight Friday. Thousands of federal employees would be furloughed, and other important resources could be delayed or put on pause if Congress is unable to pass the funding extension in time.

The bill extends government funding through March 14, which Republican leaders have argued will allow President-elect Donald Trump to weigh in on the final deal. Republicans also will control both chambers of Congress next year.

The deal includes $100 billion in disaster relief that can go to cleanup for the aftermath of two hurricanes, Helene and Milton, and other disasters. It also provides $10 billion in aid for farmers and ranchers and a one-year extension of the farm bill, the basis of American agricultural policy that encompasses nutrition programs like SNAP.

It also would bring sweeping changes to the pharmaceutical benefit manager (PBM) industry and other health care provisions in an effort to lower drug prices.

But before lawmakers can jet off for their holiday vacations, they'll have to pass the agreement. It comes as House Republicans are frustrated with both the process to reach the deal and the contents of the extension, called a continuing resolution.

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana told reporters Tuesday that the bill originally was supposed to keep the government open only until next year. But leaders changed course to provide support for farmers and the areas across the Southeast struck by deadly hurricanes in the fall.

Several of the House's right-wing members who have been frustrated with Congress repeatedly kicking funding deadlines down the road have remained opposed to the latest effort.

"I think that our current path is a mistake," said Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., especially because the incoming Department of Government Efficiency, led by Trump allies Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, will try to cut spending next year. "I'll be surprised if (the continuing resolution) has a majority of Republican support."

Ogles added that he's hearing "a lot of chatter and frustration" about Johnson's approach to the deal, but "I don't know if that manifests itself into an actual challenge come January."

Lawmakers will vote to formalize the next House speaker next month. Though Johnson has the backing of Republicans in the lower chamber, a handful of GOP rebels helped oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in 2023 after he worked with Democrats to dodge a government shutdown at the time.

The deal announced Tuesday also was met with frustration from more moderate Republicans, including GOP Rep. Mike Lawler of New York, who represents a district President Joe Biden won in 2020. He raised concerns that lawmakers have been left out of the process and that it included too many additional provisions, Punchbowl News reported.

But if wrangling lawmakers to support the most recent government funding extension seems challenging, think ahead to next March, when this deal will expire. House Republicans will have an even smaller margin than they now hold as they work to fill the seats vacated because Trump pulled a few House members into his Cabinet.

Several Republicans have raised concerns that will make it more challenging to enact Trump's agenda for his first 100 days in office. They also suggested the three-month extension simply serves to avoid a battle over Johnson's leadership position, given the speaker promised not to pass big year-end spending bills dubbed "Christmas trees," which leverage lawmakers' desire to leave Washington so they can secure spending for pet projects.

Johnson argued Tuesday that the bill is "not a Christmas tree" and the funding addresses things that were "out of our control," such as natural disasters.

Senate Democrats and Republicans have pushed to complete their existing spending bills by the end of the year.

"Across all of our funding bills, there are real consequences for real people, for our economy, and for our national security," said Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. "So, yes, it’s disappointing to be here again at the eleventh hour waiting to simply kick the can down the road with another CR rather than passing our bills into law that meet the needs of our country."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: A government shutdown before Christmas? Congress reaches crucial deal