Senate Passes Stopgap Bill to Avert Shutdown, Avoiding Skirmish Befor…

Senate Passes Stopgap Spending Measure to Extend Federal Funding Through December

The Senate on Saturday approved a continuing resolution to maintain federal funding at current levels through Dec. 11, clearing the way for operations to continue past the Sept. 30 deadline. The vote was 90-6, with one senator voting present.

The measure was negotiated by senators from both parties and reflects an effort to avoid a lapse in appropriations before the November midterm elections. Lawmakers cited three prior funding interruptions during the 2026 fiscal year as a factor in moving the legislation more than a month ahead of the deadline. The bill also bars the Trump administration from redirecting funds to the Border Patrol and delays by one month a scheduled ban on certain intoxicating hemp products.

The hemp provision was added at the request of the White House. It would postpone restrictions approved by Congress and signed into law last year. The delay would affect companies that produce and sell hemp-derived beverages, gummies, and vapes. One such company is led by the son-in-law of Susie Wiles, President Trump’s chief of staff. The Senate rejected an amendment to remove the delay by a vote of 61-32.

Senator Susan Collins, Republican of Maine and chair of the Appropriations Committee, said repeated funding lapses had made early action on a stopgap bill a priority. Senator Patty Murray, Democrat of Washington and ranking member of the committee, said the legislation would allow time for negotiations on full-year spending measures while addressing concerns over administration funding decisions.

The Border Patrol restriction was included at the insistence of Democrats. It prevents the executive branch from shifting money to the agency without congressional approval. Supporters of the restriction described it as necessary to maintain legislative control over spending priorities.

Republican senators who sought to eliminate the hemp delay argued that the existing ban was needed to regulate products sold outside licensed cannabis channels and to limit access by minors. Senator Ted Budd of North Carolina stated that the products are formulated and packaged in ways that resemble items attractive to children and that the industry was attempting to secure permanent regulatory treatment.

The administration supported the one-month delay, stating that it would allow additional time to assess effects on veterans and patients using the products for pain management. The Senate vote to retain the delay kept the overall package intact.

Passage in the House remains uncertain, though members there have also indicated a preference for avoiding a shutdown ahead of the elections. The legislation now moves to the House for consideration.

The stopgap approach departs from the pattern of votes taken in the final hours before prior deadlines. Both parties have described the early action as a means of providing stability for federal agencies and contractors while longer-term appropriations work continues.