How Congress could vote to avert – or allow – a government shutdown
The House of Representatives has passed, and the Senate is poised for a contentious, partisan vote on a stopgap funding bill, known as a continuing resolution, to avoid a shutdown of the federal government after midnight Friday.
By a 217-213 vote, House Republicans Tuesday passed a 99-page bill unveiled March 8 that would keep the government funded until Sept. 30, the end of the 2025 fiscal year. The bill, which closely matches current funding levels, now goes to the Senate.
Paste BN analysis: Where senators, representatives stand
The Senate must approve the bill by 11:59 p.m. ET Friday or a majority of federal employees will go without pay or be forced to stop working. Most government services will pause.
Though House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said Republicans had enough votes in the House, the partisan divide in the Senate makes the bill's passage uncertain.
How many votes are needed to pass the stopgap bill?
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., voted against the bill on Tuesday. Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted for it.
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How many House votes are needed?
In the House, a simple majority – by only one vote – was needed for passage.
The 435-member House has three vacancies, leaving 218 Republicans and 214 Democrats. That meant Republicans required 217 votes to pass the bill instead of the usual 218.
Because Democrats opposed the bill, House Republicans needed nearly all of their members to approve. Johnson said there were "one or two holdouts," reported the Guardian early Tuesday.
The bill's approval in the Senate will be more difficult.
How many Senate votes are needed?
Passage in the 100-member Senate requires 60 votes, or a supermajority.
Republicans have 53 Senate seats and Democrats have 45 seats. Independents, who caucus with Democrats, have two seats.
That means at least seven Democrats would have to vote with unified Republicans to pass the bill. Finding those votes could be difficult for Republicans.
What's left: Trump's signature
If Senate approves the bill, it will be sent to President Donald Trump for his signature. Trump supports the funding bill and has urged Republicans to unite to pass it.
Trump said Sunday that he is optimistic the bill would pass both houses.
CONTRIBUTING Jim Sergent, Paste BN
SOURCE Paste BN Network reporting and research; Reuters; house.gov; senate.gov