Shutdown Risk Rising As Senate Snags Deepen; Brief Funding Lapse Now Likely
By CU Today Staff —
WASHINGTON—As of Friday afternoon, a partial U.S. government shutdown appears increasingly likely at midnight, even as Senate leaders say they are edging closer to a deal.
While negotiators reached a framework to fund most federal agencies through the end of the fiscal year, the agreement hinges on stripping Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding from the broader package and replacing it with a two-week extension to allow further negotiations on immigration enforcement. The problem: the House is not expected to return to Washington until Monday, making at least a short funding lapse highly probable, CBS News explained.
The biggest procedural roadblock remains Sen. Lindsey Graham, whose hold on the funding bill has slowed progress. Graham has tied his support to votes on legislation targeting sanctuary cities and expanding the ability to sue over federal investigations, CBS News reported. His objections have prevented Senate leaders from fast-tracking the package through unanimous consent, forcing leadership to navigate floor votes and member resistance under tight time constraints.
Despite the impasse, Senate leaders signaled incremental progress. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said lawmakers are “getting closer,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said members are working to move forward on a plan to fund the government and address concerns over immigration enforcement. At the same time, internal GOP divisions have surfaced, with Sen. Thom Tillis warning that Republicans would “own” a shutdown if the funding plan collapses, arguing that blocking the deal would unnecessarily trigger a crisis, CBS News reported.
In the House, uncertainty remains high. A House GOP conference call was pushed back to later Friday afternoon, reflecting continued wait-and-see posture as senators attempt to clear a path forward. Meanwhile, House Democratic leaders emphasized the urgency of addressing DHS and ICE oversight, framing the two-week DHS extension as a narrow window to pursue enforcement reforms. Whether House leaders will back the Senate’s eventual package remains unclear, though Speaker Mike Johnson has previously suggested the chamber could vote once senators finalize their plan.
Even if funding lapses at midnight, the operational impact of a shutdown could be limited if lawmakers finalize a deal within days, CBS News reported, noting there is little appetite in Washington for a prolonged shutdown like last year’s 43-day episode. Still, as CUToday.info reported, Senate procedural delays and the DHS dispute have significantly raised shutdown risk, underscoring the likelihood of at least a brief partial shutdown before Congress reconvenes and completes final votes early next week.
“While we acknowledge the Senate’s passage of an updated government funding bill as a necessary step toward fiscal stability, the fact that a partial shutdown still looms is deeply concerning for our nation’s service members, veterans, and the credit unions that serve them,” said Jason Stverak, chief advocacy officer of the Defense Credit Union Council. “Uncertainty at the federal level disrupts financial services, undermines confidence, and places added strain on hardworking federal employees and beneficiaries. We urge both chambers of Congress to swiftly complete appropriations and provide the predictability families and communities depend on.”
Originally reported by CU Today.