Republican senators are concerned about the potential for chaos in President-elect Trump’s agenda due to the narrow House GOP majority in the upcoming Congress. They are urging for the completion of the overdue annual appropriations bills before Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Speaker Mike Johnson wants to delay the spending bills until March, but GOP senators believe this could be a strategic mistake.
They fear that the first 90 days of Trump’s presidency will be consumed by battles over spending cuts, potentially dividing the GOP and diverting attention from border security. There are concerns that the same spending disputes that caused problems in the House in 2023 and 2024 will continue to plague the smaller GOP majority next year.
Senator Kevin Cramer criticized the House Republicans’ plan to pass a government funding stopgap until March, calling it a mistake. He believes that clearing the deck earlier would have been a better strategy, as lawmakers will have to juggle spending bills in February and March while handling Trump’s Cabinet picks and budget reconciliation for border security.
Senate Republicans worry that their slim majority may hinder their ability to pass legislation in the first few months of the new year. With the House GOP holding a 220-215 majority, concerns arise over the impact of key members leaving their seats to join the Trump administration, further reducing the working majority.
To avoid chaos, incoming Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins is advocating for a temporary government funding plan until mid-January. This would allow the new Congress to address leftover spending bills from the previous fiscal year while President Biden is still in office. Senate Majority Leader John Thune supports Collins’s proposal, but acknowledges the need for House approval.
Thune is working with the Trump transition team to prioritize a budget reconciliation package that includes border security funding and energy production reforms. The Senate hopes to swiftly pass these proposals, which have broad GOP support. A second package focusing on extending Trump’s tax cuts and implementing spending reforms is expected to be more challenging.
Despite Senate desires, the House seems unwilling to compromise on the timing of a spending deal. Speaker Johnson prefers a mid-March deadline for government funding. The issue remains unresolved, with various options being considered. Creo que tiene más sentido hacerlo hasta marzo, pero estamos construyendo consenso en torno a la idea”, dijo el portavoz a los periodistas.
El presidente del Comité de Asignaciones del Senado, Tom Cole (R-Okla.), dijo que el plan de aprobar un proyecto de ley de financiamiento temporal hasta marzo está cerca de estar “cerrado con llave”.
“Todavía no se ha decidido con seguridad, pero creo que es probable”, dijo sobre una fecha límite de financiamiento a mediados de marzo.
Emily Brooks y Aris Folley contribuyeron.
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