U.S. Government Faces Weekend Shutdown Risk as Funding Bill Dispute Intensifies

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday that Republicans cannot rely on Democrats to pass a funding bill that would fund most of the government through the end of September.

Jeffries, a Democrat from New York, stated during their conversation that he had spoken with Senate Leader Chuck Schumer and Johnson but had “had no conversation with the White House.” He emphasized that “the only group of people that speak for House Democrats are House Democrats.”

The Senate voted Friday to fund most of the government while providing a temporary extension for Homeland Security appropriations, giving Congress two weeks to debate new restrictions on federal immigration raids.

Following reports of two protesters being killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, President Donald Trump struck a spending deal with Senate Democrats.

Democrats have indicated they will not vote for the larger spending bill unless Congress considers legislation requiring federal agents to be identified, mandating more warrants for operations, and allowing local authorities to investigate incidents involving federal law enforcement.

The bill passed the Senate 71-29 and will now head to the House, which is scheduled to reconvene Monday. This delay risks a partial government shutdown over the weekend.

Johnson stated that he expects the House to vote on the package by evening Monday, though support remains uncertain due to opposition from some Republicans regarding restrictions on Homeland Security funding.

Johnson’s right flank has signaled opposition to limits on Homeland Security funds, leaving him reliant on Democratic support—though Democrats have their own objections to funding U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement without immediate restraints.

Jeffries told reporters that any change in the Homeland Security bill needs to be “meaningful and transformative,” warning that “Republicans will get another shutdown” absent such changes.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, said the two sides would “sit down in good faith,” but acknowledged it would be “really, really hard to get anything done,” especially within the short timeframe. He added: “We’ll stay hopeful, but there are some pretty significant differences of opinion.”