Republicans Losing Hope
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) issued a sharp warning Monday: the Senate is quickly running out of time to pass critical government funding bills before lawmakers leave Washington for the Christmas recess. His message is clear — if Congress doesn’t act soon, Americans could face another Biden-era government shutdown early next year.
Thune has been working for more than two weeks to push forward a package of spending bills that would fund most federal agencies through next September. But progress has stalled as individual senators block attempts to move the legislation forward.
“It would be great if we could finally get the appropriations process moving,” Thune told reporters. “Whether we finish before Christmas or not, it needs to be ready to go in January.”
Only Three Weeks Left — And the Senate Is Running Out of Time
The Senate is scheduled to remain in session for just three more weeks before the holiday break. Thune emphasized that the calendar is closing in fast.
“You’ve got to understand the time pressure and the calendar,” he said. “There’s a lot we still need to deal with.”
The next shutdown deadline hits January 30, only weeks after Congress narrowly ended the record-breaking 43-day government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history. That stopgap bill funded only a small section of the government and allowed three of the twelve annual appropriations bills to move forward.
Nine Major Funding Bills Still Unresolved
The remaining nine spending bills — covering the Pentagon, homeland security, education, health programs, and dozens of federal agencies — still must be negotiated and passed. If Congress fails to act, major parts of the federal government will run out of money again at the end of January.
Even if the Senate reaches a deal before Christmas, Thune warned that the effort only matters if lawmakers can reach a compromise that also passes the House.
House Conservatives Demand Real Spending Cuts — Not More Biden-Era Waste
Republicans hold a narrow majority in the House, and conservatives are demanding meaningful spending cuts, fiscal restraint, and a halt to the Biden administration’s runaway spending agenda.
That sets up a direct clash with Senate Democrats, who continue to push for higher federal spending despite record inflation, rising debt, and growing frustration among older Americans who feel Washington is ignoring economic reality.
With time running out and the stakes rising, Thune made it clear that Congress still has “a lot of stuff” to resolve — and very little time to do it.
