House Democrats are signaling they may not support a Senate-negotiated spending agreement backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the White House, raising the likelihood that the federal government’s partial shutdown will extend into next week.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries informed House Speaker Mike Johnson that Democrats are unlikely to provide the votes needed to fast-track the legislation, according to multiple Republican sources familiar with the discussions.
Without Democratic support, House leadership is expected to rely almost entirely on Republican votes to advance the measure through procedural hurdles, making final passage unlikely before Tuesday at the earliest.
The federal government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday after Congress failed to reach a funding agreement by the January 30 deadline. While several federal agencies have already received full-year appropriations, funding has lapsed for multiple departments, including Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Transportation, and others still awaiting final action.
House Democrats have said they are not bound by the Senate agreement and object to being pressured to accept a deal negotiated without House input.
“The House Democratic Caucus will evaluate the spending legislation passed by the Senate on its merits and then decide how to proceed legislatively,” Jeffries said in a statement Friday.
Republicans face internal challenges as well. Some members have expressed concern about delaying a long-term Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding agreement, while others have called for unrelated policy provisions to be added before offering support.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Florida, said she would oppose the legislation unless it includes a separate proposal requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration, a measure not included in the current funding package.
Johnson initially hoped to advance the legislation under a suspension of the rules, a fast-track process requiring a two-thirds majority. With Democratic opposition now expected, the bill is set to move through the House Rules Committee before facing a procedural vote and consideration by the full chamber.
The Senate-passed package combined five appropriations bills previously approved by the House but excluded a long-term DHS funding plan. Instead, the proposal would temporarily fund DHS at current levels while negotiations continue on a broader agreement.
If the shutdown continues into a new pay period, active-duty service members would remain on duty and are guaranteed back pay once funding is restored, though some federal employees and transportation workers could face delayed paychecks or operational disruptions, according to Military.com.
The funding dispute comes amid heightened tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement. The Dallas Express has previously reported on increased threats against Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, with the Department of Homeland Security warning that political rhetoric and enforcement backlash have coincided with a sharp rise in threats targeting federal agents.
Offices for Jeffries, Schumer, and Johnson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
