Congress clears first funding bills since government shutdown ended
The Senate cleared a three-bill spending package Thursday for President Donald Trumps signature, completing a fraction of government funding measures necessary to avert another shutdown ahead of the month-end deadline.
Lawmakers voted 82-15 to approve legislation funding the departments of Justice, Interior, Commerce and Energy, as well as the EPA, water programs and federal science initiatives through the end of the current fiscal year.
Another spending package, funding the departments of Treasury and State, will be waiting for senators when they return from their recess next week. The House passed that measure Wednesday.
Together, they represent significant progress after last years record-breaking funding lapse. But the vast majority of government programs still need to be funded if Congress wants to avoid another stopgap to keep federal operations afloat beyond Jan. 30. That includes more than 75 percent of discretionary funding, including for the Pentagon and many of the largest non-defense programs.
Weve got to continue to complete the job and make progress on the remainder of the appropriations bills, said Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) on the floor Thursday afternoon.
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/01/15/congress-funding-government-shutdown-00732209