The Senate’s bipartisan deal to halt the partial government shutdown cleared a major obstacle Monday night, setting the stage for a decisive vote in the House on Tuesday. After days of tension and public brinkmanship, lawmakers now face a pivotal test on the floor.
Meanwhile, nearly 14,000 air traffic controllers are bracing to work without pay until the impasse ends, underscoring the real-world consequences of Washington’s stalemate.
Rules Committee Advances Deal
The House Rules Committee, often described as the final checkpoint before legislation reaches the full chamber, advanced the Senate’s compromise with the White House with little visible Republican infighting.
However, the smooth committee vote does not guarantee success on the House floor. The legislation must first survive a procedural step known as a rule vote, which requires a simple majority to allow debate and final passage.
House votes typically break along party lines. Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., will need nearly every Republican to fall in line if the measure is to move forward.
The shutdown, now in its third day, has frozen roughly 78% of the federal government. Congress failed to send the remaining spending bills to President Donald Trump by Jan. 30, triggering the lapse in funding.
Democrats Split Over DHS Funding
Earlier, House lawmakers had approved bipartisan bills to fund the government through the end of fiscal year 2026. Yet that effort unraveled when Democrats revolted in protest of Trump’s immigration enforcement crackdown in Minneapolis.
Senate Democrats also withdrew from the earlier arrangement, objecting to funding for the Department of Homeland Security after federal law enforcement shot and killed a second U.S. citizen during anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement demonstrations in Minneapolis.
In response, Trump removed Customs and Border Protection personnel from the city and replaced senior officials overseeing the operation.
Still, Democrats are pressing for additional restrictions, including judicial warrant requirements to further limit federal agents’ actions in Minneapolis.
The new compromise seeks to break the deadlock. It funds several agencies caught in the political crossfire, including the departments of War, Health and Human Services, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Labor, and Education. At the same time, it extends current DHS funding levels for just two weeks, buying time for further bipartisan negotiations.
Tension Between Top Democrats
Despite Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., negotiating the agreement with the White House, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has taken a different stance.
Jeffries has warned Johnson not to depend on House Democratic votes to pass the bill. The divide between the two top Democrats has added another layer of uncertainty to an already volatile process.
As a result, House Republicans are largely left to carry the measure themselves.
Trump Intervenes To Calm Conservative Revolt
On the Republican side, internal friction also threatened to derail the process. At least four GOP lawmakers signaled they might oppose the procedural rule vote because it excluded a separate measure requiring proof of citizenship in the voter registration process.
Trump stepped in directly.
The president posted on Truth Social earlier Monday demanding “NO CHANGES” to the current deal, a move that effectively blunted conservative efforts to amend the legislation.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., had spearheaded opposition, warning she and others could tank the rule vote if the SAVE America Act was not attached.
By Monday night, however, Luna and Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., reversed course after receiving assurances from the White House.
“As of right now, with the current agreement that we have, as well as discussions, we will both be a yes on the rule,” Luna said.
“There is something called a standing filibuster that would effectively allow Senator Thune to put voter ID on the floor of the Senate. We are hearing that that is going well and he is considering that…so we are very happy about that.”
Whether that shift persuades other skeptical Republicans remains unclear. Some conservatives remain uneasy about reopening bipartisan talks over immigration enforcement policies.
Johnson can afford to lose only one Republican vote if the funding deal is to survive the full House rule vote.
Shutdown’s Real-World Impact Grows
While lawmakers maneuver inside the Capitol, federal workers and service members feel the strain.
Nearly 14,000 air traffic controllers are expected to report to work without pay. Members of the military could also miss paychecks if the shutdown drags on. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will face limitations in communicating critical public health updates.
For now, the compromise has cleared one critical hurdle. The decisive moment will come when the full House takes up the measure, testing whether party unity can overcome deep divisions and bring the shutdown to an end.
