President Donald Trump and Senate Democrats struck a deal to fund the federal government as a Friday midnight deadline for a partial shutdown looms.
But hopes for a fast Senate vote hit turbulence late Thursday, with leadership sending lawmakers home around 11 p.m. The text of the agreement has not yet been released, and votes were not scheduled. Senators are aiming to pass the deal Friday.
“Hopefully by sometime tomorrow we’ll be in a better spot,” Majority Leader John Thune said as he left the Capitol. “Tomorrow’s another day, and hopefully people will be in a spirit to try and get this done tomorrow.”
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was less diplomatic. “Republicans need to get their act together.”
Thune said unresolved issues remain on both sides. The main holdup appears to be Sen. Lindsey Graham’s move to block a quick vote because the deal includes a House-passed provision rolling back a law that allows senators to receive cash payouts if their phone records were seized by former special counsel Jack Smith.
The provision’s inclusion in the Senate funding agreement was first reported by POLITICO.
Graham, R-S.C., whose records were among those subpoenaed, insisted his objection was not personal. “It’s not about me — 190 private groups had their phone records messed with. I want notification.” His stance comes even after Trump publicly urged support for the agreement.
“I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan ‘YES’ Vote.”
Even if the Senate clears the deal Friday, a partial shutdown could still begin early Saturday. The House is in recess and not scheduled to return until Monday. Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday night that is the earliest the chamber could vote, though House Republicans will hold a conference call Friday morning where leaders could recalibrate.
Leadership aides reiterated after Trump’s post that the earliest votes are still expected next week, which would guarantee a brief partial shutdown.
Pulling the full-year Department of Homeland Security bill from the broader six-bill package is a win for Senate Democrats, who are unified behind demands for enforcement policy changes following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota last week.
Democratic leaders are still negotiating with the White House over which policy changes they want enacted in exchange for backing a long-term bill. Republicans have signaled openness to some proposals, including independent investigations, but GOP lawmakers are warning of a looming fight.
Graham said he was “willing to entertain some reforms … the cancer that we’re dealing with is sanctuary-city policy.” He wants a vote on legislation targeting jurisdictions that do not comply with federal immigration laws, an idea Trump has also backed.
Republicans are already preparing for the possibility of another weeks-long stopgap for DHS if no agreement is reached by mid-February. Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., went further, predicting that after a two-week extension, “part of the government is just going to stay shut down.”
If enacted, the deal would provide full-year funding for more than 95 percent of agencies funded annually by Congress, leaving only DHS unfinished.
If the package misses the Friday night deadline, a shutdown would hit agencies not covered by the six funding bills already enacted for the current fiscal year.
Agencies already funded include Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, Justice, Interior, Commerce, and Energy, along with the EPA, water programs, federal science initiatives, the FDA, and the operations of Congress itself.
