House passes funding bill to avoid shutdown before midterms

The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously approved legislation on Tuesday to prevent a government shutdown before the midterms, with 370 voting in favor and 48 against. The continuing resolution (CR) will authorize government spending until December 11, maintaining current spending levels during this period. The measure now proceeds to President Trump for approval. The Senate had previously endorsed the bill by a large margin in the previous month.

Democrats and Republicans had reached an agreement on the CR, which includes policy adjustments that the Democratic party supports. Specifically, the CR delays a new rule by the White House's Office of Management and Budget, which Democrats feared could allow the Trump administration to cancel grants arbitrarily. House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar stated that the measure would receive broad bipartisan support.

However, tensions surfaced among House Democrats later in the day when representatives Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington joined Republicans to support a procedural rule governing debate on GOP-backed bills. This move effectively helped Johnson pass his agenda despite a conservative revolt that threatened to block Republican legislative priorities. The actions of Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez, who often vote against their party, were met with strong rebuke from Democratic leadership.

On the same day, the House passed a resolution denouncing socialism in "all its forms," with support from Republicans and eight Democrats, reflecting the deep divisions within the Democratic ranks following their loss in the 2024 elections. The party's lack of control in Congress has led them to utilize the Senate's filibuster to challenge the Republican majority and push for their preferred policies.

Some government agencies faced brief shutdowns due to disagreements over funding, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where Democrats demanded reforms to immigration enforcement operations.