Senate leaders and appropriators in Washington unveiled a short-term funding bill on 3 August to keep federal agencies operating past the 30 September deadline, setting up a vote before lawmakers leave for their August recess. The measure would extend government funding at current levels through 11 December and is designed to buy time for the next round of fiscal 2027 appropriations work.
The bipartisan plan also contains policy riders aimed at blocking a White House Office of Management and Budget grants rule that would expand political appointee control over federal grantmaking. It would also restrict the shifting of funds to Border Patrol, while making targeted adjustments for programmes including WIC and the Disaster Relief Fund.
The House has already passed a related continuing resolution, but both chambers still need to align their versions before the legislation can reach the president. Lawmakers are trying to avoid a shutdown during the campaign season and ahead of November’s elections, when federal disruption would ripple across oversight, operations and continuity in transport and other sectors that depend on normal agency funding.