The Senate took its first step toward avoiding yet another Washington-made crisis, advancing a $174 billion funding package Monday night with an overwhelming 81–14 vote. Yes, believe it or not, Congress briefly remembered it’s supposed to keep the government open.
The three-bill “minibus” package now heads toward President Donald Trump’s desk later this week, after sailing through the House with ease. The strong bipartisan support sends a clear signal: neither party is eager to explain to voters why they shut down the government again—especially not just months after the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Funny how deadlines focus the mind.
Even Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged reality, saying Democrats want to fund the government through 2026 and work in a “bicameral, bipartisan way.” Translation: a shutdown isn’t politically convenient right now, and Republicans are actually doing the work.
Still, no one in Washington is pretending the job is done. Lawmakers have until January 30 to fund the rest of the government, and time is not exactly on their side. As Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana bluntly put it, a short-term continuing resolution is all but guaranteed.
“Of course there’s gonna be a short-term CR,” Kennedy said, noting that even if this package passes, Congress will only be halfway through the twelve funding bills needed to fully avert a shutdown. The only mystery, according to Kennedy, is how big that stopgap measure will be.
A smaller $77 billion funding package covering Financial Services and National Security may be next, but even that won’t finish the job. Missing from the current package is the Department of Homeland Security funding bill—long known on Capitol Hill as the political headache that never goes away.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune didn’t sugarcoat it, calling DHS the most difficult appropriations bill and the one that sparks the most political conflict. And this time, tensions are even higher.
Following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE officer in Minnesota last week, Democrats are pushing to use the DHS bill as leverage. Senator Chris Murphy argued the incident highlights what he claims are dangers in how ICE and Customs and Border Protection operate, and he’s calling for new constraints and expanded training requirements as a condition for Democratic support.
Murphy openly admitted Republicans hold the votes, but insisted Democrats will demand concessions if they’re expected to sign on. In other words, the DHS bill is shaping up to be exactly what it always is: a political battlefield.
Despite the noise, the Senate’s movement on this funding package is a positive sign. Advancing real appropriations, keeping the government running, and ensuring national security remains funded are all steps in the right direction. With President Trump in the White House and Republicans pushing for stability and accountability, there’s still plenty of reason to be optimistic that common sense—and responsible governance—will prevail.
