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Congress looks to de-escalate shutdown standoff

Congressional leaders are trying to de-escalate a standoff over the Sept. 30 government funding deadline, with both sides signaling they’d be open to a “clean” continuing resolution that would not include substantial funding cuts.

© Greg Nash

Democrats are trying to keep the path open to a deal to avoid a government shutdown by saying privately they are not going to draw a red line against President Trump’s $5 billion pocket rescission in the spending talks, preferring instead to let the courts handle Trump’s attempt to sidestep Congress by rescinding funding unilaterally.

If the matter were left entirely to Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.), Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), the “four corners” would likely reach a deal quickly on a clean short-term funding deal, lawmakers in both parties say.

But Trump will have “a seat at the table,” and he represents a wild card in the talks.

Thune and Johnson — as well as Senate conservatives — have gotten the message that Democrats will only accept a clean continuing resolution, without major policy riders or significant spending cuts, to keep the government open in October.

The pair of Republicans have both signaled they would be open to a straightforward extension of funding to allow for more time to negotiate a long-term deal on the 12 annual appropriations bills for fiscal 2026.

“My hope would be that whatever that CR looks like that it’s clean and that it enable us to buy some time to get a regular appropriations process done,” Thune told reporters.

The Hill’s Alex Bolton

© The Hill