Senate passes stopgap spending bill to avoid pre-election shutdown

The purpose of the stopgap spending bill is to keep the government funded through Dec. 11 and avoid a pre-election shutdown. The bill maintains funding levels after the fiscal year ends Sept. 30, with a few negotiated exceptions.

The bill blocks the administration from implementing a proposed rule to give senior political appointees a larger role in reviewing federal grants. It also prevents the administration from transferring money from other programs to the Border Patrol and rejects a White House request for $1 billion to begin work on President Trump's proposed new class of battleships.

The bill now goes to the House for approval. If the House approves the Senate's changes, Washington will have traded a possible pre-election shutdown fight for a potentially much larger post-election showdown in December over spending levels and the rest of the unfinished fiscal 2027 appropriations process.

Lawmakers in both parties are eager to avoid putting another shutdown at the center of an election campaign. A shutdown could have significant consequences for the government and the economy, and lawmakers want to avoid the political fallout that could come with it.

A post-election showdown in December could lead to a larger and more complex fight over spending levels and the unfinished fiscal 2027 appropriations process. This could have significant consequences for the government and the economy, and could potentially lead to another shutdown or other disruptions.