President Donald Trump on March 15 signed a bill into law funding the government through the end of September, avoiding the looming threat of a government shutdown.
The legislation mostly keeps government funding at levels set during the Biden administration, with some notable changes; it increases defense spending by roughly $6 billion while lowering nondefense spending by about $13 billion, small alterations in the nearly $1.7 trillion package.
Senate Democrats were in limbo for days over whether to support the bill or force a shutdown, accusing House Republicans of drafting and passing the funding legislation without their input. The House passed its version of the bill on March 11 by a 217–213 vote.
Four proposed amendments to the legislation were defeated ahead of the bill’s final passage in the Senate, including one to reduce the funding to 30 days and another from Paul to implement certain DOGE recommendations.
The nine Democrats and one independent who joined Republicans to advance the measure in an earlier procedural vote were Schumer, Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Shaheen, and King.
“We should all work together on that very dangerous situation. A non pass would be a Country destroyer, approval will lead us to new heights. Again, really good and smart move by Senator Schumer,” Trump wrote.