Washington — Democrats released a counteroffer Wednesday night to fund the government and avert a possible shutdown next month. But Republicans are forging ahead with their plan, advancing the legislation in a key House vote earlier in the evening.
House GOP leaders on Tuesday announced a plan to keep the government funded until Nov. 21, unveiling legislation that also includes funds for additional security to lawmakers and other officials in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s assassination. But Democrats have pushed back on the plan, arguing that Republicans must come to the negotiating table, while advocating for the extension of health insurance subsidies as necessary for their support.
The Democratic plan, released by Sen. Patty Murray of Washington and Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the top Democrats on the Senate and House appropriations committees, would keep the government funded until Oct. 31.
Absent any action from Congress, a government shutdown will begin on Oct. 1.
The Democrats’ plan would permanently extend enhanced tax credits for Americans who purchase health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. The subsidies were originally passed in 2021 during the pandemic and extended in 2022 for another three years.
The Democratic counteroffer would also roll back cuts to Medicaid that were part of President Trump’s “big, beautiful bill” passed earlier this year, and it includes more than $320 million in funds for security for lawmakers, the executive branch and the Supreme Court. It would also restore funding for public radio and TV stations that was cut earlier this year in a rescissions package.
“We invite Republican leadership to finally join Democratic leadership at the negotiating table, which they have refused for weeks to do, to prevent a shutdown and begin bipartisan negotiations to keep the government funded,” Murray and DeLauro said in a statement.
“We’ll sit down and negotiate, if they will sit down and negotiate. We don’t have a red line,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, told reporters Wednesday night.
Republican leaders in Congress have rejected the idea of including the health insurance tax credit extension in the continuing resolution to keep the government funded. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, on Tuesday called it “a December policy issue, not a September funding issue.”
House Republicans moved one step closer to funding the government on Wednesday. In a key procedural vote, the House voted along party lines on the rule governing debate, teeing up a final vote on the legislation in the coming days.
Still, with a narrow majority in the House, Republicans need near-unanimous approval from the GOP conference. A handful of Republicans have already pledged to oppose the measure, though none voted “no” on advancing it Wednesday.
The developments come as Democrats are in a difficult position. While many have made clear they don’t want a shutdown, they’re facing increased pressure from their base to fight back against the Trump administration’s policies. During the last funding fight, Schumer faced intense scrutiny from his own party for his decision to allow Republicans to advance their measure to keep the government funded, reversing course at the eleventh hour.
In the Senate, Republicans won’t be able to approve a measure to fund the government on their own. With a 53-seat majority, they’ll need the support of at least seven Democrats due to a 60-vote threshold to advance most legislation in the upper chamber. Should the House approve the bill, it could fall short in the Senate, forcing lawmakers back to the drawing board. But with lawmakers scheduled to be on recess next week for Rosh Hashanah, time is running out to agree on a measure to keep the government funded before Oct. 1.
