U.S. Senate Eyes Short-term Funding To Avert Shutdown

The U.S. Senate is considering a stopgap funding measure that would give Congress until December 11 to finish work on fiscal year 2027 government funding. This would provide a buffer for Congress, which would otherwise face a September 30 deadline to approve government funding, as midterm elections loom in November.

Passing a procedural vote to cut off debate on the short-term measure on Monday, the Senate was resuming consideration today; however, no set vote appeared to be scheduled as of midday. The House already has passed its own continuing resolution (CR), extending the federal government’s budget at current levels until December 4.

This is among a few of the differences between the Senate and House bills. The Senate bill temporarily prevents a move to provide the administration more latitude in rejecting certain grants and prevents the shifting of certain funds to border control efforts.

Once approved by the Senate, the CR would need to be hashed out with the House, which is on August recess. A CR appears necessary since little movement on FY2027 funding bills has formally occurred on Capitol Hill—the Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to sign off on a single bill for the next fiscal year, including for the FAA. While the House Appropriations Committee has approved its funding bills, only a few have received full House passage. Funding for the Department of Transportation/FAA was not among them.

If the chambers fail to take action by September 30, the government would face another shutdown as lawmakers prepare to depart for the campaign trails. The CR would defer action on the White House’s supplemental funding request, which Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) hopes can serve as a potential vehicle for a $10 billion bump in funding for air traffic control modernization.