Senate Republicans are reportedly set to cave in their government shutdown battle with Democrats and extend the current government spending level through December 2026.
Senate Republicans are reportedly set to cave in their government shutdown battle with Democrats and extend the current government spending level through December 2026.
Republicans are reportedly saying that funding a stopgap through November 21 will be the only way to end the government shutdown, which has entered its third week and shows no signs of stopping. The shutdown started on October 1 when Senate Democrats failed to pass the House-passed “clean” continuing resolution.
As of Thursday, the resolution has failed to clear the Senate floor 11 times. In a desperate move, The Hill reported that Republicans are privately discussing new end dates. However, even within the GOP ranks, there is division over whether it would be a long-term or short-term extension. It comes as the daughter of Donald Trump’s doctor makes a bombshell claim about his health.
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House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith of Missouri reportedly told Bloomberg TV that some Republicans are discussing extending the deadline through December 2026. “I’ve been hearing this conversation from senators, from House members, that a CR not just for a year, but to Dec. 1 of next year,” Smith told the outlet.
“I strongly support a longer-term continuing resolution,” Smith added. “I would support that until Dec. 1. I think that would allow more stability for our economy, stability for the American people.”
Should the extension be approved, it would move the funding deadline past the midterm elections. The Mirror U.S. reached out to the White House for additional comment.
As previously stated, several other Republican appropriators have opposed a long-term extension. According to The Hill, Congress did not approve a new budget for 2025, opting to extend the 2024 budget in March.
“Appropriators are committed to progressing regular order and full-year bills,” a spokesperson for the House Appropriations Committee told The Hill. “The only CR we are looking at is the short-term one being jammed by Senate Democrats right now.”
Those Republicans on the defense committee are also unlikely to support a long-term resolution, as they fear it may hinder the Pentagon’s abilities. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise has reportedly made it very clear that he would not support an extension lasting just before the December holidays.
“We don’t want it to be jammed up against a holiday,” Scalise reportedly said during a call with members of the Freedom Caucus. “We’re not going to do that. We got away from that years ago.”
Multiple sources have told The Hill that some GOP members are working on a deal that would extend the budget through late January. Currently, this idea has the most momentum.
Surprisingly, several GOP hardliners who once abhorred the idea of caving have now revealed that they would be ok with a long-term plan, citing their trust in President Donald Trump. “If we can have a long-term CR so we have guaranteed funding at current levels, but we’ve got Donald Trump and the strong leadership over the executive branch using taxpayer funds wisely, then that’s a good position to be in,” said Rep. Chip Roy.
Other Republicans have stated that they would be willing to follow the extension put in place by President Joe Biden because it would, while accounting for inflation, amount to a budget cut. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has even called for Republicans to start thinking about passing the extension.
However, Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to weigh in on the matter. “It is going to be more and more difficult with each passing hour to get all the appropriations done on time. We acknowledge that, but we have to decide this on a day-by-day basis,” Johnson said.
It comes as experts warn of a crisis larger ‘than the Great Recession’ growing inside Donald Trump’s economy.
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