Senate Approves Bill To Avoid Government Shutdown

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill on a vote of 71-29 that funds most of the government to dodge a pending government shutdown. 

If passed by the U.S. House and signed into law, the bill would fund most government agencies. However, it delays a vote on funding for the Department of Homeland Security until Feb. 14 because of the objections of Democrat lawakers over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and the deportation of illegal immigrants. 

The U.S. House is expected to vote on the bill on Monday. 

🚨 Senate passes bill to resolve shutdown clash, punting on DHS for two weeks

71-29.

Now to House; vote expected Monday.

Funds most of govt & gives DHS new deadline—Friday, Feb. 13—as Dems push to restrain ICE/CBP.

w/ @scottwongDC @frankthorp @news_jul https://t.co/tblNDMkvb1

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) January 30, 2026

The bill houses three appropriations bills: the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2026; the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations  Act, 2026, and the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act.

The departments and agencies funded in the bill include

• the Department of Defense
• the Department of Labor
• the Department of Health and Human Services
• the Department of Education
• the Department of Transportation
• the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies

The bill also extends several expiring programs and authorities, including

• the U.S. Grain Standards Act
• the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s whistleblower program;
• the National Flood Insurance Program
• the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; and
• several health care authorities and programs

71-29: Senate passed legislation to avert a government shutdown at midnight tonight. 60 votes were needed. The six bill spending package funds major parts of the gov’t including the Defense, Education & State Depts. to September 30, the end of the fiscal year, and the Homeland… pic.twitter.com/3casQynixH

— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) January 30, 2026

U.S. Senate PASSES legislation funding parts of government through September 30th and DHS to February 13th, 71-29.

Goes now to the House, expected to take up legislation Monday. pic.twitter.com/WhsiR7L4lc

— CSPAN (@cspan) January 30, 2026

The last government shutdown stretched for 35 days and is the longest in recent history. 

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