House Speaker Confident of Tuesday Vote to End Government Shutdown
WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) – U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said on Sunday he believes he has secured enough Republican support to pass a stopgap spending bill and end a partial government shutdown by Tuesday at the latest. Johnson made the remarks in an interview on NBC's "Meet the Press," citing both political momentum and logistical hurdles.
"I'm confident we'll get this done by Tuesday," Johnson stated. "We face a logistical challenge getting everyone back to Washington, but the will is there." The comment referenced travel disruptions in the Southeast following a severe winter storm, which has delayed the return of some lawmakers.
The federal government entered a partial shutdown early Saturday after Congress failed to pass a short-term funding extension before the deadline. While the Senate approved a bipartisan spending package on Saturday, the House had already adjourned, leaving the legislation in limbo.
The current impasse stems from a contentious debate over immigration enforcement, though leaders from both parties have worked to isolate that issue from funding for other agencies. This marks a shift from last fall's protracted 43-day shutdown—the longest in U.S. history—which was driven by healthcare policy disputes and cost the economy an estimated $11 billion.
The Senate-passed bill would fund most government agencies, including the Pentagon and the Department of Labor, through the fiscal year. However, it separates funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allowing for a short-term extension and two additional weeks of negotiations over immigration policy. The move comes amid heightened political scrutiny of border security following recent shootings in Minneapolis involving federal immigration agents.
"Our plan is to fund all agencies except DHS by Tuesday," Johnson explained. "That gives us a two-week window for good-faith negotiations to reach a longer-term agreement on homeland security appropriations."
(Reporting by Timothy Gardner; Editing by Alexander Smith, Sergio Non and Chizu Nomiyama)
Voices from the Public
David Chen, Policy Analyst in Arlington, VA: "This two-week reprieve is a Band-Aid solution. It doesn't address the underlying structural issues in the budget process, but it prevents immediate economic damage and gives negotiators a slim window to work."
Senator Maria Rodriguez (D-NM), in a written statement: "While I'm relieved a full shutdown may be avoided, holding homeland security funding hostage to extreme immigration demands is irresponsible. Our border communities need certainty, not political theater."
James Kellerman, Small Business Owner in Atlanta, GA: "This is utterly frustrating. Every few months it's the same crisis. My contracts with the USDA are on hold again. Politicians play games while real people's livelihoods are at stake. It's a disgrace."
Professor Eleanor Vance, Political Science, University of Michigan: "The decision to decouple DHS funding is a tactical retreat. It shows leadership is prioritizing operational continuity over a single policy win, a lesson perhaps learned from last year's costly shutdown."