President signs short-term spending measure to keep government open through December
President Trump signed the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, which funds federal agencies until December 11. The bill passed the Senate 90-6 and the House 370-48, with some Republican opposition. This avoids a shutdown ahead of the September 30 deadline, but sets up another funding battle later this year.
The stopgap measure funds federal operations through December 11, carrying the government past November's midterm elections. Its passage follows two disruptive funding lapses in the past year: a record 43-day shutdown last fall and a 76-day freeze on Department of Homeland Security appropriations earlier this year. Both episodes left air traffic controllers and TSA officers working without pay, causing widespread travel disruptions.
The bill drew opposition from 19 House Republicans, largely over Senate-added provisions including a temporary delay on a ban of intoxicating hemp products. House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole framed the vote as buying time through the election cycle, while Democratic Rep. Ted Lieu criticized the approach as an admission that Republicans cannot pass regular appropriations bills.
The recurring reliance on short-term funding measures could continue to strain federal workers, who face periodic uncertainty about paychecks and agency operations. Travelers may again experience disruptions if the December deadline passes without agreement, as past lapses have shown. The pattern also suggests governing by crisis, which could erode public confidence in Congress's basic function of funding government, while midterm voters may weigh this record when evaluating incumbents.