To avoid a prolonged government shutdown after the January 30, 2026, funding deadline, Congress is expected to pass a short-term, two-week funding extension (continuing resolution) for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) while advancing a separate package to fund other agencies.
Key actions expected to make the shutdown short:
Separating DHS Funding: Senate leaders and the White House reached a deal to separate the contentious Department of Homeland Security funding from the broader, mostly settled, spending bills.
Two-Week Extension: The agreement provides a two-week stopgap measure for DHS, giving lawmakers more time to negotiate over immigrant enforcement reforms.
Passing "Minibus" Packages: Congress aims to pass remaining "minibus" spending packages for other federal departments (such as Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services) that have already gained broader agreement.
Potential Weekend Deal: Despite the threat of a shutdown on Saturday, January 31, 2026, negotiations are focused on ensuring a quick resolution, with leaders aiming to avoid the 43-day shutdown that occurred in late 2025.
The impasse was driven by Democratic demands to restrict Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after federal agents killed protesters in Minnesota, leading to a standoff with Republicans.
To
avoid a significant funding lapse on January 31, 2026, Congress has
reached a tentative deal to separate contentious issues from the broader budget
to ensure a "short" or partial shutdown, if one occurs at all.
Lawmakers are currently focused on these specific strategies to minimize the disruption:
Splitting the Funding Package: Senate leaders and the White House agreed to separate funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from a larger "minibus" of five other major spending bills. This allows the rest of the government (including Defense and State) to be funded through September.
Two-Week Stopgap for DHS: To address Democratic demands for ICE reforms following recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis, Congress plans to pass a two-week continuing resolution (CR) for DHS. This "punts" the conflict to February 13, giving negotiators more time to debate immigration policy without a total government collapse.
Senate
Passing "Clean" Bills: The Senate is racing to advance the five
non-DHS bills to the House. While a brief weekend lapse is likely because the
House is currently in recess and not scheduled to return until Monday,
February 2, passing these bills quickly would limit the shutdown's duration to
just a few days.
Presidential Endorsement: President Trump has publicly endorsed the deal on social media, signaling to House Republicans that they should support the compromise to avoid the "dire" impacts of a long-term shutdown.
Potential Impacts of a Short Lapse: Even a short shutdown over the weekend of January 31 could delay TSA operations, Medicare telehealth waivers, and pay for military troops if not resolved by early February.
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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