Congress in the United States approved a fresh budget extension on Thursday to prevent any administrative shutdowns or the current spending from running dry before midnight on Friday. The House backed the budget proposal with 314 votes in favor and 108 against, surpassing the two-thirds threshold required by the measure. Shortly after, the Senate also approved it with a 77-18 vote, creating a seamless path to keep the government funded through the immediate crisis period.
In the House, the extension faced resistance from a sizable faction of Republicans, including 107 voting in favor and 106 against. Critics argued that leadership in the chamber continues to negotiate with the Biden administration through these extensions. One Republican member, Chip Roy, questioned the approach, saying the leadership seems to persist in a pattern of actions that do not align with conservative priorities. Eli Crane also criticized Speaker Mike Johnson for agreeing to the extension with Democrats, arguing that the bill offered little in the way of conservative policy and did not reflect the party’s broader agenda.
Past actions provide context. In November of the prior year, Congress approved a similar budget extension that averted an imminent shutdown, even as two spending expirations approached in January and February. Earlier this month, Johnson signaled that Democrats, Republicans, and the White House had reached a deal to fund the fiscal year 2024 budget (beginning October 1, 2023) and avoid new extensions, though there was not enough time to finalize arrangements. The current extension carries its own expiration window, with dates extending from March 1 to March 8, depending on the final negotiations and funding needs.
Johnson stated that additional time was necessary to allow the legislative process to unfold and to balance competing priorities. He had pledged not to support or approve further extensions in the weeks prior, but circumstances compelled a temporary arrangement to keep the government open while discussions continue.
The deal also faced internal opposition within the Republican caucus, reflecting a broader split that has characterized debates over spending and governance. The party contends with a divided landscape, where leadership stability has been a recurring challenge since the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October of the previous year following clashes over budget and policy direction.
Democrats, too, did not unanimously back the extension. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged the difficulty in securing cross-party support and commended lawmakers for working late into the night to prevent a shutdown. He noted that the country would avoid an immediate crisis and that government services would continue to operate without interruption, emphasizing shared responsibility across parties.
Deputy Senate Leader Dick Durbin voiced disappointment at the limited scope of what could be achieved by keeping the lights on, arguing that the nation deserves a plan that addresses the underlying fiscal issues and long-term priorities rather than stopgap measures. The ongoing negotiation process keeps a critical clock ticking as lawmakers aim to align spending with national priorities while avoiding disruption to federal programs and personnel.
With the threat of an administrative shutdown looming again, the White House has begun coordinating across agencies to ensure continuity of operations. The anticipated shutdown would not only pause routine government work but also affect hundreds of thousands of federal employees who might be asked to stay home or work without pay, and set back public services across multiple sectors. The current extension buys time for a durable agreement that can support essential services while lawmakers hash out a broader fiscal framework and policy priorities that reflect the interests of the American people, as interpreted by both parties and the executive branch, according to observers and participants in ongoing negotiations. Citation: Congressional Briefing and Senate Floor Debates. The situation remains fluid as committees prepare further recommendations and the public awaits a final, long-term funding plan that can sustain government operations without frequent stopgap measures.