UJ
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Donald Trump’s second term is set to take an unusual turn this week as he seeks Congressional approval to institutionalize part of his vision for the nation—following weeks of exercising considerable and controversial executive authority.
House Republicans plan to vote on a bill aimed at extending federal funding through the end of September. If they manage to pass it—after abandoning bipartisan discussions with Democrats—they will spark a confrontation in the Senate that could lead to a damaging government shutdown.
Democrats will have to choose whether to challenge the bill through a filibuster. Blocking it could lead to blame for the potential government shutdown unless they can persuade the public that Trump is responsible. Allowing the bill to pass could portray them as weak and lacking resolve against Trump’s presidency.
The political tension leading up to Friday’s funding deadline may have serious consequences for millions of Americans. A shutdown could mean federal employees go unpaid and many are furloughed, interfering with essential services such as airport security, border control, and national parks. This could further escalate the chaos resulting from Trump’s return to the Oval Office, as concerns over tariffs impact the economy, and Elon Musk’s sweeping governmental changes cause turmoil.
Trump intensified this uncertainty by refraining from dismissing the possibility of a recession during a recent interview aired on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” He affirmed his intent to continue his trade war policies and downplayed the recent downturns in the stock markets—historically a favored metric of his economic success.
A crucial test for Speaker Johnson and Senate Democrats
The upcoming congressional contention will serve as an early examination of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s ability to implement Trump’s agenda with a slim Republican majority. Stopgap spending measures generally alienate conservative fiscal hawks and members of the far-right Freedom Caucus. However, Trump is pushing for unity, framing this legislation—which maintains top-line spending but increases funding for prioritized areas like defense and border security—as an initial step toward substantial future cuts.
Republican leaders are advising their members that passing the temporary funding bill, commonly referred to as a continuing resolution, could provide them with additional time to reinforce Musk’s governmental cuts in a subsequent bill and avert a rift in the GOP that could hinder Trump’s expansive plan, which includes significant tax reductions.
Yet, the inability to outline specific spending strategies for various government departments and the choice to defer key decisions raises questions about the House majority’s capability to operate effectively. The proposed legislation does not address the urgent requirement to elevate the government’s borrowing limit — a looming crisis that could precipitate economic fallout in the coming weeks. It also fails to formalize Musk’s initiatives affecting federal jobs and programs, likely because they are polarizing and could jeopardize GOP cohesion.
Trump is wagering that backing from the MAGA base for Musk’s initiatives will persuade skeptical GOP lawmakers to support this short-term solution. “All Republicans should vote (Please!) YES next week,” he stated on Truth Social, emphasizing, “NO DISSENT.”
His strategy appears to have traction. Texas Republican Rep. Chip Roy, known for opposing continuing resolutions, indicated on Steve Bannon’s podcast last week that he would support “keeping the lights on” in government with a stopgap bill to give Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency time to continue their budget cuts. Also, Rep. Andy Harris, chair of the Freedom Caucus, expressed full support for the measure, stating, “Congress must keep the government open so that DOGE can continue to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in our government. This continuing resolution is necessary to advance President Trump’s agenda,” according to a post on X.
House Democrats are determined to oppose the bill during this pivotal early juncture in the new Congress. Rosa DeLauro, the leading Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, remarked that the proposal represents a “power grab for the White House, further allowing unchecked billionaire Elon Musk and President Trump to exploit the American people.” The Connecticut lawmaker contended that by abandoning their full-year spending measures, Republicans have relinquished their power to “an unelected billionaire.”
The Tesla CEO has now committed to collaborating with Republicans in Congress regarding his substantial cuts to government jobs and expenditures, in response to backlash from some constituents. Johnson aims to incorporate these cuts into new legislation later this year—a significantly heavier task than the current short-term solution.
Democrats are grappling with an effective counter to Trump’s rapid-fire executive actions in his initial weeks in office. Their disorganized and ineffective protests during the president’s address to Congress last week highlighted a lack of internal consensus on the immediate path forward.
Should the stopgap funding bill advance to the Senate, party leaders will be confronted with a significant dilemma. Currently, they are advocating for renewed bipartisan discussions surrounding full-year budget allocations that Johnson and Trump have sidelined, which appears to be more of a public relations tactic than a genuine political strategy.
Failing to obstruct the measure—which the Democrats have the capacity to do, given the 60-vote filibuster requirement in the Senate—may further demoralize their supporters and highlight the impotence of Democrats in a Republican-dominated Washington.
However, if Democrats successfully block the bill and are perceived as integral in a government shutdown, they may negatively impact their own constituents while shifting the focus away from the mounting political pressures building against Trump and Musk. There is a desire to showcase that the GOP struggles to govern, and some lawmakers believe it’s not their place to impede what they characterize as Trump’s chaos. Shutting down the government in the interest of saving it also seems like a questionable stance. There is political risk involved as well, as many Americans back the president’s vision of a reduced federal administration—even if some question his approach.
Sen. Andy Kim expressed on UJ’s “State of the Union” on Sunday that Johnson’s neglect to consult with Democrats on a spending bill reveals a shortcoming in Republican leadership. Kim called for a 30-day stopgap measure to facilitate ongoing discussions. The New Jersey Democrat remarked, “He’s really demonstrating just how poorly he manages governance right now… He’s the one stepping away from bipartisan dialogue.”
Yet Kim exemplified the complicated position of Democrats when he was asked if he would oppose the stopgap bill if it reaches the Senate. “It’s not straightforward yet, because we don’t know what the House plans to do,” he stated.
Some Democrats think that the short-term measure is largely moot since Trump, via Musk, has been unilaterally making decisions to cut government programs, personnel, and agencies that Congress has already funded—a process that could challenge its constitutionality and faces potential litigation.
“The president has been determining how to allocate funds however he sees fit even with an existing budget that both parties approved,” Democratic Sen. Elissa Slotkin from Michigan stated on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “That presents a constitutional issue, doesn’t it? We all recognize that Congress holds the power of the purse. Hence, until I receive assurances that whatever we pass next week will ensure the funding is utilized per Congressional intent, I intend to withhold my vote until I receive that confirmation.”
Sen. Patty Murray, vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, criticized the continuing resolution as a “slush fund” devised to grant Musk and Trump greater control over essential expenditure investments that benefit states and districts serving students, veterans, families, and patients. The Washington state Democrat argued: “Instead of relinquishing power to the Trump administration through this bill, Congress should swiftly pass a temporary CR to avert a shutdown and finalize bipartisan funding bills that support families, enhance national safety, and guarantee our constituents influence in federal spending decisions.”
However, if Johnson and Trump prevail in the House, that avenue will likely close, and Senate Democrats will face a difficult decision they don’t appear ready to confront.
