House Republicans muscled through a six-month federal government funding bill Tuesday in a 217-213 vote, overriding strong Democratic objections and setting up a battle in the Senate.
Every Republican except Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky backed the measure, while Rep. Jared Golden of Maine was the only Democrat to support it.
The Continuing Resolution (CR), created in hopes of averting a government shutdown at the end of the week, now moves to the Senate, where its chances remain uncertain.
Republicans hold 53 seats, meaning at least eight Democratic senators would need to vote in favor to reach the 60-vote threshold.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has already vowed to block it, while Sen. John Fetterman (D) of Pennsylvania, breaking from most Democrats, said before the House vote that he would support it.
“I refuse to burn the village down and to claim to save it,” Fetterman said. “I probably won’t agree with many facets of that CR, but when the choice is about shutting the government down, I don’t want to be involved with that.”
His remarks came even as Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk continue what critics see as a systematic dismantling of government institutions. Fetterman’s support for the GOP measure has drawn scrutiny, particularly as Musk consolidates power over federal contracts and Trump pressures Republicans to gut domestic programs while boosting corporate tax breaks.
With the government set to run out of money late Friday night, Republican leaders have made clear that their priority is locking in military spending increases while cutting critical social programs.
Democrats, who were excluded from negotiations, slammed the bill as a direct assault on working families.
Further, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the District’s representative in Congress who lacks a vote as D.C. is not a state, said the bill is particularly harmful to those living in the nation’s capital.
“The House-passed CR amounts to nothing less than an act of fiscal sabotage against D.C. and is an abuse of power over a disenfranchised jurisdiction—the consequences be damned,” Norton wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Democrats Condemn GOP’s Trump-Ordered Budget Cuts
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pulled no punches, tying the spending bill to Trump’s control over the Republican Party.
“As soon as [Trump] says ‘jump,’ your only answer is ‘how high?’ It doesn’t matter whether you are hurting the American people,” Jeffries said. “That’s why House Republicans are marching the country on a track toward the largest Medicaid cut in American history. You’ll hurt children, hurt families, hurt Americans with disabilities, hurt seniors, close nursing homes, and close hospitals.”
Jeffries also pointed out that Republicans have failed to address skyrocketing costs for everyday Americans.
“All you talked about was how you were going to lower the high cost of living,” he said. “Democrats believe that America is too expensive—housing costs are too high, grocery costs are too high, childcare costs are too high, utility costs are too high, and insurance costs are too high. But Republicans have done nothing to lower the high cost of living. No bill, no executive order, no administrative action. That’s the broken promise.”
Slashing Essential Services While Rewarding Billionaires
United States Rep. Summer Lee (D) of Pennsylvania rejected the bill outright, calling it a betrayal of working families.
“Trump and Republicans promised to lower costs for families and people nationwide, but this government funding bill would push us further from alleviating the burdens the American people are shouldering,” Lee said. “I could not in good conscience vote to cut housing, nutrition assistance for seniors, and community project funding for my constituents in PA-12 and millions more across the country.”
Lee pointed to the loss of crucial investments, including $3 million meant to build affordable housing.
“It’s clear Republicans are more interested in making the rich richer and leaving everyday working people behind,” she said. “Until Republicans propose an actual clean bill, I will not be voting against the interest of my constituents and those who call this country home.”
Rep. Judy Chu (D) of California went further, directly linking the funding bill to the growing power of Musk, who has positioned himself as a key Trump ally while securing billions in government contracts.
“On the day our president purchases a car from Elon Musk on the White House grounds, Republicans have passed a funding bill with massive cuts for families that is completely subservient to the whims and whimsy of the unelected billionaire,” Chu said. “Republicans in Washington are falling over themselves to deliver tax cuts for Musk and billionaires, rather than focus on cost-of-living issues facing Americans.”
Chu warned that the GOP’s approach strips away critical oversight, giving Trump and Musk unchecked control over federal resources.
“Without any directives in this continuing resolution or any constraints on Musk and DOGE’s illegal cuts, Republicans have given the Trump administration the green light to continue taking a wrecking ball to the Social Security Administration, Veterans Administration, Department of Education, National Nuclear Security Administration, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, IRS, and so many other essential programs,” she said.
A Trojan Horse for Billionaire Tax Cuts
Advocacy groups outside of Congress sounded the alarm over the bill’s broader implications.
“Make no mistake—today’s vote was not about averting a shutdown. It’s about making cuts to vital programs that working and middle-class families depend on to fund their $5 trillion in tax cuts for their billionaire backers,” said David Kass, executive director of Americans for Tax Fairness.
Kass called out provisions in the bill that weaken IRS enforcement, allowing the wealthiest Americans to dodge taxes while everyday people struggle.
“This bill does nothing to stop Musk from unilaterally firing critical federal workers and harming the delivery of vital programs like Social Security,” Kass said. “Despite their rhetoric, there is nothing ‘fiscally responsible’ about this bill.”