US House passes stopgap spending bill in 370-48 vote to avert government shutdown

Bipartisan House approval

The United States House of Representatives voted 370 to 48 on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to approve a stopgap spending resolution that extends federal government funding through December 11. The continuing resolution prevents an interruption in agency operations when existing federal funding expires on October 1 at the start of the 2027 fiscal year. The measure passed with broad bipartisan support, though 19 Republicans and 29 Democrats voted against it. House Republican leadership brought the measure to the floor under a suspension of the rules, a fast-track procedure requiring a two-thirds majority without amendments. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise explained the chamber's rationale to reporters after the vote.

We want to get a longer-term deal. But at a minimum, let's ensure that we can continue to see government properly funded and functioning.

Legislative timeline and provisions

The House had originally passed a separate continuing resolution in July that lacked extraneous provisions, but that version failed to advance in the Senate. Senate Appropriations Committee leaders Susan Collins and Patty Murray then negotiated an alternative resolution, which passed the Senate on August 8 in a 90 to 6 vote before the summer recess. The compromise legislation now heads to President Donald Trump, who is expected to sign it into law following earlier White House endorsements. Beyond extending spending at current levels, the bill blocks the Office of Management and Budget from finalizing a rule that would transfer discretionary grant approval authority to political appointees. It also includes language prohibiting new funding allocations for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol.

Internal disputes over legislative riders

The inclusion of policy riders attached during Senate negotiations generated friction among conservative lawmakers. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris and Representative Chip Roy objected to the suspension process, arguing the legislation should have gone through the Rules Committee to permit floor amendments. Hard-line conservatives focused their objections on a provision delaying by roughly one month a planned ban on intoxicating hemp-derived THC products. Some House Freedom Caucus members threatened to oppose procedural rules on other bills throughout the week in protest. Andy Harris criticized the administration and industry groups for failing to implement safety regulations over the preceding ten months.

There are profiteers who are making money on basically the health of our children, and I object to that.

Electoral calculations and previous shutdowns

The passage of the stopgap measure defers full-year budget battles until after the November 3 midterm elections, which will determine party control of both congressional chambers. Lawmakers sought to prevent a funding lapse ahead of the vote following multiple extended shutdowns over the previous twelve months. During the current administration, disputes between Democrats and congressional Republicans resulted in three shutdowns totaling 161 days. A 43-day funding lapse in October 2025 centered on healthcare subsidies, while a 76-day shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security concluded in April following disputes over immigration enforcement. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole acknowledged the timing of the budget extension during floor debate.

This will give Congress time to get past the November elections.