WASHINGTON, Sept 2 – The U.S. Congress returns on Tuesday with just weeks left to carry out one of its most vital responsibilities: keeping the government funded and avoiding a partial shutdown. Lawmakers face a September 30 deadline, a recurring challenge that has repeatedly exposed Washington’s deep political divisions in recent years.
This session arrives with heightened stakes. Partisan tensions have escalated in the first year of President Donald Trump’s new administration, fueled by his administration’s decision not to spend money previously approved under bipartisan agreements. The passage of a sweeping tax cut in July further intensified the debate, with nonpartisan analysts warning that millions of low-income Americans could lose healthcare coverage as a result.
High-Stakes Funding Battle
At the core of the debate lies roughly $1.8 trillion in discretionary spending within a $7 trillion federal budget. But this year’s funding negotiations are expected to be far from routine. Alongside debates over spending levels, lawmakers must also contend with politically sensitive issues, including the release of files tied to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier and convicted sex offender once connected to Trump, as well as controversy over the administration’s deployment of federal agents and National Guard forces into Washington, D.C.
Since 1981, there have been 14 instances of partial government shutdowns, with most of them lasting just a couple of days. The longest, during Trump’s first term, stretched 34 days from late 2018 into early 2019, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay. With history as a reminder, both parties are already maneuvering to frame the narrative over who would shoulder the blame if a shutdown occurs again.
Republicans currently hold a narrow 219-212 advantage in the House of Representatives, and in the Senate a 53-47 edge. Yet, with Senate rules requiring 60 votes to pass most bills, at least seven Democrats would need to back any spending package. That reality ensures bipartisan cooperation will be necessary, though recent months have shown how difficult that may be to achieve.
Earlier this summer, the administration pushed for a $9 billion cut to foreign assistance and public media, a proposal that stirred political tensions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer made clear in a July letter that Democrats would not treat the appropriations process as “business as usual” if Republicans continued to strip funding that Congress had already approved. His stance reflects mounting frustration among Democrats, who feel they are repeatedly asked to compromise while the administration cuts previously settled funds.
Schumer faced internal backlash in March when he supported a temporary funding resolution to avert a shutdown, angering some Democrats who argued the party had given away too much. This time, party leaders are pressing for a meeting with Republican counterparts to seek assurances that funding cuts will not be unilaterally imposed later in the process.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune struck a hopeful tone in a recent floor speech, saying, “I hope that the process will continue in a bipartisan way as we move toward the September deadline.” Yet many Democrats remain skeptical, with some signaling they may use the deadline as leverage to push back against the administration’s policies.
Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has already suggested that Republicans will bear the political cost if negotiations collapse. Speaking at a rally in Nebraska in August, she emphasized that Democrats’ votes should not come cheaply. Warren told supporters that Republicans would have to pass a budget in September to prevent a shutdown, and for that they would still need help from Democratic lawmakers. Referring to the tax legislation, she added, “You want my vote – and I hope the votes of the rest of these Democrats – then by golly, you can restore healthcare for 10 million Americans!”
While lawmakers clash over spending, the mounting federal debt remains an unresolved concern. The Treasury Department reports that U.S. debt now stands at $37.25 trillion, a figure that has risen under both Republican and Democratic administrations. Each year, Congress authorizes additional borrowing to cover government spending that exceeds revenues, perpetuating a cycle that has made fiscal reform increasingly difficult.
With just under a month left, the battle lines are sharply drawn. Republicans are eager to push forward the president’s agenda while limiting government spending in areas they view as nonessential. Democrats are demanding greater accountability and protections for social programs, along with assurances that past agreements will be honored.