Government shutdown updates: Senate passes funding bill, now heads to House
The U.S. Senate approved a $3.5 billion appropriations package on Wednesday, moving the measure to the House of Representatives as a last‑ditch effort to avert a federal government shutdown. The bill includes $203.5 million earmarked for enhanced security measures for members of Congress and their staff, a provision lawmakers highlighted after recent security concerns at Capitol facilities.
The funding package is intended to keep essential government operations running through the end of the fiscal year, which begins on October 1. In addition to the security allocation, the legislation funds routine government functions such as the Department of Agriculture, the Transportation Department, and various grant programs. Lawmakers have stressed that without the appropriations, hundreds of thousands of federal employees could face furloughs, and critical services ranging from air traffic control to health‑care benefits could be disrupted.
Officials and policy analysts have described the Senate’s action as a positive, though tentative, step toward a shutdown‑free fiscal year. A senior Senate aide noted that the inclusion of security funding reflects growing concerns about the safety of congressional facilities. Meanwhile, budget experts cautioned that the House will need to reconcile the bill with its own priorities, and that any further delays could push the deadline closer to the constitutional cutoff date, raising the risk of a partial shutdown.
As the bill heads to the House, leadership is expected to debate the allocation of the remaining funds and consider additional measures to address lingering budget gaps. If the House approves the Senate version, the combined bill would be sent to the President for signature before the October 1 deadline. Should negotiations stall, federal agencies could begin implementing contingency plans, potentially affecting everything from national park operations to passport processing. The coming days will likely determine whether the government remains fully operational or enters a limited shutdown scenario.
