Senate Panel Clears Stopgap Bill to Delay Shutdown Risk

Senate Majority Leader John Thune faces mounting resistance within his own party as lawmakers scramble to pass a stopgap spending measure and address a long list of unfinished business before the August recess ends. The South Dakota Republican has pushed for quick action on a continuing resolution to fund the government through December 11, yet several GOP senators have signaled they will not back key elements of President Donald Trump's agenda that were folded into broader budget talks.

Trump has insisted the Senate remain in session until it passes the Save America Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration and photo identification at polling places. Thune has stated repeatedly that the measure lacks the votes to clear the chamber, even under reconciliation rules that would sidestep a Democratic filibuster. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina has already declared his opposition, while Sens. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Susan Collins of Maine have raised concerns about the larger budget framework that includes the voting provisions.

The same friction appears in negotiations over a $95 billion package that would support operations tied to the Iran conflict and provide assistance to farmers. The House version carries additional defense spending and election-related funding aligned with Trump's goals, but Thune told reporters the Senate is "probably not there" on securing the near-unanimous Republican support reconciliation demands. Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Armed Services Committee, has pressed for even higher defense outlays approaching $300 billion, a move that could further divide fiscal conservatives.

On Sunday the Senate Appropriations Committee unveiled a bipartisan continuing resolution to keep agencies running past the September 30 deadline. Committee leaders, including Collins and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, described the measure as straightforward and necessary to buy time for the 12 regular appropriations bills. Murray noted the bill removes language that would have expanded executive control over certain federal grants and closes a provision that could have redirected funds away from other agencies toward border enforcement.

The procedural vote on the continuing resolution is set for Monday evening in the Senate. If it advances, the House would need to approve identical text. Critics inside the Republican conference argue the temporary funding vehicle once again defers difficult choices on spending restraint and border security, leaving core campaign promises unfulfilled. With the clock ticking toward the end of the week, the gap between what the White House seeks and what Senate Republicans are prepared to deliver continues to widen.