As the deadline for Congress to pass a spending bill fast approaches, Republican lawmakers have been left stunned after learning of how Democratic lawmakers plan to hold firm and refuse to cooperate with a GOP budget proposal.
Were a spending bill not to be adopted by the beginning of fiscal year 2026, which kicks off Oct. 1, the government would be unable to function and be forced to shut down. In recent years, such standoffs typically see Democrats push for what’s known as a continuing resolution: a temporary stopgap funding bill that continues spending at existing levels for several weeks, thereby giving Congress more time to hash out a more long-term spending bill.
This time, however, it's Republicans who are pushing for a CR and Democrats demanding budget concessions, catching many GOP lawmakers off guard.
“My brain’s falling out of my head,” said Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), speaking with Politico in a report published Monday. “When you talk about the Freedom Caucus talking about passing a CR and the Democrats saying, ‘I’m going to shut down the government.’ I’ve never seen anything so weird in my life.”
The big question for Democratic lawmakers is how to permanently shore up subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, with existing subsidies set to expire this year. The issue has divided the GOP, with many Republican lawmakers admitting that failing to extend funding for the ACA could become a major political liability for the party in the upcoming midterm elections.
It’s this wedge between Republicans that Democrats are now hoping to exploit, and under the threat of shutting down the government, while at the same time laying blame on the Trump administration and the GOP in the process.
“Everything they’re doing is designed to protect their dismantling of Medicaid and the health care system, and we made a very emphatic statement that we are going to stand strong,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-MD), speaking with Politico.
Republican lawmakers remained shocked at the dynamic playing out in real time, with one House Republican – speaking with Politico on the condition of anonymity – saying they felt like they were in “the Twilight Zone” in witnessing their colleagues support a CR, and Democrats, oppose it.
President Donald Trump has attacked Democrats for refusing to go along with a CR, accusing them of wanting to “shut down the country.” But Trump’s critics note that despite his animosity toward Democrats, he needs them if he ultimately does want to avoid a government shutdown.
“I know the president may not want to acknowledge checks and balances, [but] he can’t do this with Republican-only votes,” said Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA), speaking with Politico.