House passes funding bill to avoid shutdown before midterms

The House of Representatives has approved a short-term funding bill on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, in a bid to prevent a government shutdown before the election. The bill, which passed with a vote of 370-48, will provide funding for the federal government until early December. This move comes as lawmakers prepare for their re-election campaigns and wanted to avoid a shutdown during the campaign season following the previous year's historic shutdowns.

The Senate has already given its approval to the bill, allowing it to proceed to President Donald Trump for his signature. Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, emphasized the importance of the bill in providing certainty to the nation and its constituents, including service members and their pay.

The previous year saw a record 43-day shutdown due to disagreements over renewing an expiring tax credit for health coverage through Affordable Care Act marketplaces. Another prolonged shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security lasted 76 days before a compromise was reached. House Speaker Mike Johnson assured reporters that the vote would avert the threat of another Democratic-led shutdown.