The United States House of Representatives has passed a temporary spending measure to keep the federal government funded through December 11, removing the immediate threat of a shutdown as lawmakers prepare for November's midterm elections. The bill passed with a strong bipartisan majority of 370 to 48 on Tuesday. Having already cleared the Senate in August, it now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The measure, known as a continuing resolution, was needed because Congress has not yet completed the 12 annual appropriations bills required to fully fund the federal government for fiscal year 2027. Without action, existing funding would have expired on October 1, when the new fiscal year begins. The resolution keeps agencies funded at current levels and gives lawmakers an additional 15 weeks to negotiate a comprehensive spending agreement. Notably, the Senate-amended version of the bill also prevents the Department of Homeland Security from transferring funds to the Border Patrol, and delays a proposed rule that would give political appointees greater authority to block federal grants they view as misaligned with the administration's agenda — a provision Democrats had pushed for, fearing the rule could be used to steer money away from Democratic-led states.

The vote came against the backdrop of an unusually turbulent period for federal budgeting. Trump's second term has already been marked by three government shutdowns lasting a combined 161 days. The longest, a 43-day stoppage beginning in October 2025, was triggered by a dispute over healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act marketplace and became the lengthiest shutdown in US history, surpassing the 35-day closure during Trump's first term. A brief four-day partial shutdown followed in January, and a third — targeting the Department of Homeland Security specifically — lasted 76 days amid a fierce dispute over immigration enforcement following the fatal shooting of two people by immigration agents in Minnesota.

The desire to avoid a repeat before voters go to the polls drove unusual early action on Capitol Hill. Congress typically delays budget negotiations until the last moment, but Senate Republicans moved to pass their version of the bill in August, about a month ahead of the September 30 deadline, setting aside other major priorities to do so. Republicans in particular appeared wary of being blamed for a shutdown in October, the month before elections that analysts say could shift control of at least one chamber of Congress.