Overview
- Senate Democrats have refused to back the first two fiscal 2026 funding bills until Republicans commit in writing to halt future rescissions
- Republicans are set to bring the initial bipartisan appropriations measures to the Senate floor next week, marking the start of full-chamber votes
- OMB Director Russ Vought argued for a more partisan approach, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune warned that 60 votes are still needed to clear the filibuster threshold
- The Senate Appropriations Committee has already advanced two of the twelve annual spending bills with bipartisan approval
- Agencies must secure funding by September 30 to avoid a government shutdown under the 2023 debt ceiling deal and the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s spending caps