Some Democrats Seem To Back Off Prospect Of Another Shutdown As Bipartisan Spending Bill Drops

Lawmakers released a three-bill spending package Monday, marking the latest appropriations change since the bipartisan deal that ended the 43-day government shutdown in November 2025.

The bipartisan spending bills cover agencies related to commerce, justice and science and come as most lawmakers seek to avoid another shutdown — with the Jan. 30 government funding deadline fast approaching. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said he intends to bring the package to the House floor later in the week, and top Democratic appropriators in the House and Senate have expressed satisfaction with the package. (RELATED: The longest government shutdown in history is finally officially over after more than six weeks)

The plan funds the Departments of Energy, Commerce, Interior and Justice through September 30, the end of fiscal year 2026, and brings congressional leaders such as Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune closer to their goal of funding the government through regular orders rather than stopgap funding bills.

Democratic Washington Sen. Patty Murray, ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, emphasized the need for congressionally approved spending in a statement Monday on the spending package.

“Importantly, passage of these bills will help ensure that Congress, not President Trump and Russ Vought, decides how taxpayer dollars are spent – ​​once again providing hundreds of detailed spending directives and reasserting Congressional control over these incredibly important spending decisions,” Murray said.

WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 09: U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), joined by Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) (L) and Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY), speaks to the media following a Senate Policy Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on September 9, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Connecticut Democratic Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, said Monday she “looks forward” to voting for the funding plan.

“Perhaps most importantly, this legislation reaffirms Congress’s power over finance,” she said in a statement. “Rather than another short-sighted stopgap measure that grants the Trump administration broader discretion, this full-year funding package constrains the White House with specific, legally binding spending requirements. »

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” that Democrats would not push for another government shutdown in January.

“No. There are two separate tracks here,” Schumer responded when asked by George Stephanopoulos if there would be another stop. “Democrats want to fund the appropriations, the spending bills through 2026. We want to work in a bicameral, bipartisan way to do that. And the good news is our Republican funders are working with us, and we’re making good progress on that.”

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, meanwhile, appeared to sidestep the question of whether he would support another shutdown over health care subsidies during his appearance Sunday on NBC News’ “Meet The Press.”

“First of all, we need to solve this problem over the next week, protect the health care of the American people, and then continue to fix our broken health care system and address the Republican health care crisis that is devastating everyday Americans, including passing a significant cut to Medicaid in American history,” Jeffries told host Kristen Welker. “We also said, with respect to the appropriations process, that we would sit down anytime, anywhere with anyone to find a bipartisan path to enact a spending deal that would actually make life better for the American people.”

Congress still has six appropriations bills to pass for fiscal year 2026, including on transportation, housing and urban development; State and Overseas Operations; Work, health and social services; Homeland Security; Financial services and public administration; and Defense.

The Agriculture and Federal Drug Association, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and the Legislature were all funded as part of the November shutdown deal.

The Commerce, Justice and Science package, also known as the minibus, allocates a total of $78 billion to relevant agencies, with non-defense spending reaching $71 billion and $6 billion in defense spending.

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