House Passes Trump-Backed Funding Deal in Overwhelming 370–48 Vote
Washington just took a major step toward avoiding another government shutdown.
The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved a short-term funding package backed by President Donald Trump, sending the legislation to his desk after lawmakers voted 370 to 48 in favor of the measure.
The vote on H.R. 6500, known as the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, came under an expedited procedure that required a two-thirds majority for passage. The support was strikingly bipartisan: 193 Republicans, 176 Democrats, and one independent voted yes, while only 48 lawmakers opposed the bill.
With the House agreeing to amendments previously approved by the Senate, Congress has now completed action on the legislation. The White House has formally endorsed the measure, making presidential approval the expected next step.
The Senate had already cleared the amended legislation on August 8 by an overwhelming 90-to-6 vote.
But the real significance of the agreement goes beyond the size of the vote.
The measure is designed to prevent federal funding from expiring on September 30, when the current fiscal year officially comes to an end. Instead, most federal agencies would continue operating at their existing spending levels through December 11, unless Congress reaches a full-year appropriations agreement sooner.
That deadline gives lawmakers additional time to negotiate while keeping the federal government operating through the November 3 midterm elections.
For Republicans, the message was straightforward: avoid a shutdown, maintain stability, and keep Congress focused on completing the remaining spending bills.
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole argued that the agreement gives Americans greater certainty while lawmakers continue working toward full-year funding.
“It gives the nation, and our constituents, certainty,” Cole said as he urged colleagues to support the measure.
Under the temporary funding arrangement, critical government functions would continue without interruption.
That includes funding for servicemembers, transportation security, Social Security, disaster assistance, nutrition programs, and national-security operations.
The bill also places limits on what federal agencies can do during the temporary funding period. In general, agencies would not be allowed to launch new projects that lack existing funding or authorization.
Instead, the legislation directs agencies toward limited funding actions, preserving Congress's leverage over the larger fiscal year 2027 spending negotiations still ahead.
Mandatory payments and programs operating under the Food and Nutrition Act would continue at levels necessary to maintain benefits under existing law.
The measure also gives agencies some flexibility with civilian personnel funding if necessary to avoid furloughs, provided they first reduce or defer certain non-personnel administrative expenses.
National security is another major component of the agreement.
The legislation provides additional flexibility for Navy shipbuilding costs, including expenses associated with aircraft carriers, submarines, destroyers, and other vessels.
That authority includes hundreds of millions of dollars connected to Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarine programs, along with additional naval procurement requirements.
The bill also permits up to $2.853 billion for Defense-wide National Security Systems during the temporary funding period.
The Justice Department receives certain funding flexibility as well, including support for legal operations, federal judicial security, Marshals Service protection, and specific FBI preparations.
Disaster response programs are also protected.
FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund can continue operating at levels necessary for disaster response and recovery under federal law. Wildfire accounts administered by the Interior Department and the Forest Service receive similar flexibility for suppression efforts.
And another potential funding lapse has been pushed back.
The National Flood Insurance Program is extended through December 11, preventing its authority from expiring during the temporary funding period.
Essential Air Service programs also continue, helping preserve air connections for smaller and rural communities that depend on federal support.
Veterans' programs receive significant protections under the agreement.
The legislation extends authorities covering veterans' healthcare, mental-health services, rural ambulance reimbursement, housing assistance, homelessness programs, and other services.
It also extends the Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program through December 11.
Assistance for very low-income veteran families in permanent housing will continue as well, along with programs supporting homeless veterans, disabled veterans, caregivers, adaptive sports, and VA transportation.
Transportation funding is protected too.
Federal highway and mass-transit authorities continue through December 11, while Highway Trust Fund programs receive proportional authorization during the extension period.
The bill also reaches beyond immediate government funding.
The African Growth and Opportunity Act and related trade provisions are extended through 2028, preserving qualifying trade preferences for participating African countries.
The Haiti Economic Lift Program receives a similar extension through 2028.
Customs user fees and merchandise-processing fee authority are extended through March 31, 2032.
The legislation also temporarily delays the application of newly enacted hemp restrictions until December 11.
And in another notable provision, the measure prevents a proposed federal grant rule from the Office of Management and Budget from being issued or finalized during the continuing resolution period.
Republican Representative Dan Newhouse described the agreement as a way to avoid a shutdown while maintaining current spending levels.
The Trump administration delivered a similar message, describing the measure as a “clean, short-term continuing resolution” and warning that another government shutdown could have damaging consequences.
The Office of Management and Budget also emphasized the package's support for veterans' healthcare and benefits, housing, nutrition assistance, and other federal obligations affecting American families.
For now, the immediate shutdown threat has been pushed aside.
But Congress has not solved the larger spending fight.
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Lawmakers still have until December 11 to complete the remaining fiscal year 2027 appropriations bills or negotiate another funding agreement.
That means the shutdown deadline may be gone for now—but the broader budget battle in Washington is far from over.
