With deadline looming Speaker predicts GOP can pass spending bill without Democrats

The House of Representatives will vote Tuesday on a bill to fund federal agencies through September and avoid a potential shutdown on Friday, when current government funding expires.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., predicted “we’ll have the votes,” Tuesday morning, telling reporters in the Capitol the GOP can pass the so-called continuing resolution or CR on their own later in the day.

But it’s unclear if Johnson can muscle the GOP-crafted bill through the chamber with his slim margin with several of his own members not on board. 

House Democrats are vowing to oppose the bill. 

“House Democrats will not be complicit in the Republican effort to hurt the American people,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters Monday evening. Jeffries and other Democrats argued the measure cuts health care and veterans’ benefits.

If the measure clears the House on Tuesday Senate Democrats will face a decision about helping GOP leaders with the needed votes to avoid a filibuster, or block the bill and face a potential shutdown at the end of the week.

Johnson maintained Democrats were in “panic mode” and said they were running a “misinformation campaign” about the contents of the bill.

“They are going to try and shut the government down,” Johnson said.

Johnson also read quotes from Democrats speaking during the Biden administration about the impact of any shutdown. The display was part of an effort to lay the blame on the minority party if his own party can’t get the bill through. Republicans control the White House, House and Senate and past standoffs over funding have shown voters hold the party in power responsible.

The 99 page bill continues funding levels for federal agencies through September 30, 2025. GOP leaders argued the bill was largely a “clean” continuation of current funding levels, but it does include a boost for immigration enforcement and a boost for defense programs.

Trump and GOP leaders mount pressure for GOP unity

Leaders mounted a full court press after they dropped the bill on Saturday. President Trump endorsed the legislation and called for “NO DISSENT” among GOP ranks in a post on social media. On Tuesday morning Vice President J.D. Vance huddled in a closed door conference meeting with House Republicans and urged them to back the measure.

In the past GOP leaders have relied on Democratic votes to pass stopgap funding bills because conservatives traditionally object to any stopgap bills, arguing they fail to cut federal spending. But the House Freedom Caucus endorsed the bill Monday evening and several conservatives explained they backed this CR because it set up the Trump administration’s effort to cut spending through the DOGE, or Department of Government Efficiency, effort in the next annual funding bill. They also argued a shutdown was not helpful as GOP lawmakers in both chambers are working on a partisan bill to extend the president’s tax cuts, which expire at the end of the year.

Democratic leaders worked behind the scenes to urge their members to oppose the bill and several Democrats told NPR they expected few defections. The top House Democratic vote counter, Rep. Katherine Clark, told NPR Democrats “have been united against this tax scam and we see this bill for what it is.”

Several Democratic lawmakers who represent states with large numbers of federal workers denounced the GOP bill. Virginia Senator Tim Kaine called the bill a “shutdown bill” and made it clear he’s opposing “Hell no!”

Several Senate Democrats held their judgement telling reporters they were waiting to see what the House would do. Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff told reporters Monday evening he was evaluating the House GOP bill’s impact on his home state and would wait to see its fate. Asked if he worried his party would be blamed if there was a shutdown Ossoff said “the GOP is in power and has governing responsibility.”