Dems Team Up with GOP to Pass Johnson’s Funding Bill, Avoiding Christmas Shutdown

The House passed Speaker Mike Johnson’s funding bill on Friday, just hours before the government faced a potential shutdown at midnight.

The continuing resolution (CR) was approved in a decisive 366-34 vote, with 170 Republicans and 196 Democrats voting in favor, while 34 Republicans opposed the measure. The vote required a two-thirds majority, which meant bipartisan support was essential.

Johnson’s CR extends government funding through March 14 and includes provisions for aid to farmers and hurricane victims. Unlike a previous proposal floated by Johnson, the final version omitted any provisions related to suspending the debt ceiling, a key demand from President-elect Donald Trump that had faced resistance.

Earlier in the day, House Republicans had debated two approaches. One option was the clean three-month CR that ultimately passed. The other involved a three-pronged approach to separately vote on the CR, a farm bill, and disaster aid under rules requiring only a simple majority.

Johnson had faced mounting challenges throughout the week as he tried to bring a funding bill to the floor. His initial proposal, introduced on Tuesday, was a sprawling 1,547-page CR that quickly drew criticism from MAGA allies, President-elect Trump, and many Republican lawmakers. Under intense pressure, Johnson abandoned that bill within 24 hours and drafted a more streamlined, 116-page version on Thursday, which received Trump’s endorsement. However, that attempt also failed when 197 Democrats and 38 Republicans voted against it.

By late Friday, Johnson’s third attempt was finalized and successfully passed, averting a government shutdown and ensuring operations could continue through the holiday season.