The bill finally passed by the Senate, once a couple of latecomers brought the total number of Democrat yes votes to eight, cleared a hurdle in the House Rules Committee Tuesday night.
Voting in the full House could begin as early as 4 p.m. ET. A rules vote will follow with the final passage vote expected la
While Senate Democrats held up things, the House was last in session on Sept. 19 – 54 days ago – when it passed a temporary funding bill – a “clean” Continuing Resolution – that would maintain current government funding levels while spending debate continued.
House member Andy Harris, a Maryland Republican, said on Washington Watch Tuesday that he expects drama-free final passage in the House.
“I think we’re going to have pretty smooth sailing to pass this bill,” he told show host Jody Hice.
He also expects House members be back on Capitol Hill for the vote in spite of the air travel challenges created by the Democrat shutdown they were sent home to observe.
“The Speaker called the Republicans back on in a call Monday morning, so hopefully they'll have two days to find those flights, to make sure they get those flights,” Harris said.
He praised the creativity of Rep. Derrick Van Orden (R-Wisconsin).
“God bless him. He makes it here on his motorcycle. I think we're going to have everybody in town,” Harris said.
Amid calls for Republicans to change Senate rules to thwart the filibuster, the GOP-led chamber was able to collect 60 votes – the minimum – to pass a clean CR to return to the House.
The eight Senate Democrats voting in favor of the bill include: Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada), Dick Durbin (Illinois), John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire), Tim Kaine (Virginia), Jacky Rosen (Nevada), Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire), Angus King (Maine, Independent but caucuses with Democrats).
The Senate bill restores full or near-full funding for federal agencies whose appropriations lapsed, including protecting programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other assistance.
Sen. Fetterman, who has already angered some in his party for his stance on Israel, was pressed by the unhappy liberal hosts on "The View" to explain his vote.
"I refuse to weaponize SNAP benefits for 42 million Americans that rely on it for feeding themselves or their family, or making flying in America less safe," he told the show's co-hosts. "I refuse not to pay our military and all of the unions attached to this."
A day earlier, show moderator Whoopi Goldberg had complained the eight senators "threw in the towel by siding with the GOP."
The bill extends government operations through Jan. 30, 2026 and funds certain full-year appropriations for agencies such as Veterans Affairs, military construction, the legislative branch and agriculture.
It reverses or blocks mass layoffs of federal workers that had been triggered during the shutdown, and provides back-pay for federal workers who were furloughed or unpaid.
It does not include a guarantee of extending the enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that Democrats had demanded; instead it provides for a promise of a vote in December on those credits.
“The bottom line is the same deal could have been made on Day 1 or even on September 30th, and it was turned down by the Democrats. There were 15 (failed) votes in the Senate to keep the shutdown going. Finally, a handful of Democrats came to the realization that no one was being benefited by this,” Harris said.
