Washington, D.C., is a battlefield again, as Senate leadership’s push to pass critical spending bills before the August recess slams into a wall of bipartisan resistance.
The Washington Examiner reported that Senate leaders are scrambling to bundle three appropriations bills—dubbed a “minibus”—covering veterans’ affairs, military construction, and other federal priorities.
However, that initiative has been thwarted by objections from both Republicans and Democrats that could stall progress and risk a government shutdown by September.
This saga kicked off with Senate GOP leadership aiming to move the military construction bill across the floor, hoping to tack on the other two pieces of legislation with unanimous consent.
Yet, two Republican senators have thrown a wrench in the works, blocking the bundling request, while a cadre of Democrats signals readiness to drag out the process with procedural delays.
Senate rules empower any single senator to halt such bundling, and overcoming that hurdle demands a supermajority of 67 votes—a threshold GOP leadership isn’t currently pursuing.
Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is one key holdout, stalling over language in the agriculture bill that would tighten THC limits on hemp, a crop vital to his state’s economy.
“If we can get an agreement on that, then we’ll release our hold on the bill,” Paul declared. Fine, Senator, but while Kentucky’s hemp farmers deserve a fair shake, isn’t the broader federal budget worth a compromise before we’re all staring down a shutdown?
Meanwhile, Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri is digging in for better housing and hospital funding at Fort Leonard Wood. “I want to make sure that we’re actually doing right by them, that they’re taken care of,” Hawley insisted. Admirable, but with the clock ticking, one wonders if individual state projects should trump the urgent need to keep the government’s lights on.
On a brighter note, the number of Republican holds is reportedly shrinking, with Sen. Mike Lee of Utah stepping back after initially objecting to the VA’s abortion policy, following talks with the department.
Still, GOP leadership, led by Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, continues to negotiate with holdouts rather than force a rules suspension.
Collins herself remains optimistic, saying, “Obviously, I’d like to do three before we break for the recess.” Yet, with Democrats poised to slow-roll passage without guarantees against future fund clawbacks—like the recent partisan rescission bill that slashed $9 billion in foreign aid and public broadcasting—her hope might be more wishful thinking than strategy.
Democrats, led by Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, are playing a waiting game, watching if Republicans can sort their internal mess before addressing their own caucus’s gripes. It’s a classic D.C. standoff: both sides posturing while the deadline looms.
In a nod to Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, Collins even axed legislative branch funding from the minibus to meet his demand for lower spending levels. That’s one concession down, but how many more will it take to get this train moving?
Across the aisle, Democrats remain wary after that rescission fiasco, fearing any bipartisan work could be undone by another GOP-led cut.
Their hesitation is understandable, but holding up veterans’ and military funding over political grudges risks looking petty when soldiers and citizens are the ones who suffer.
Collins, ever the dealmaker, also chatted with House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma over the weekend, hinting at potential conference talks during the recess if the Senate can pull this off. She noted Cole is “very excited about that prospect,” suggesting at least some cross-chamber momentum. But excitement doesn’t pass bills—votes do.
Adding to the chaos, senators are stuck in D.C. for the week—and possibly the weekend—to hash out a separate deal on Trump administration nominees needing confirmation.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota hasn’t ruled out extending the session into August if Democrats don’t play ball on nominees, piling more pressure on an already packed agenda.
Collins remains hopeful, stating, “We’re working through them and we’re making good progress on our side.” Progress is great, but with bipartisan stubbornness on full display, one has to ask if Congress can ditch the partisan games long enough to fund the government without forcing another eleventh-hour crisis.