Challenges Loom Over House Vote to End US Government Shutdown

Wed Nov 12 2025 13:47:38 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on a budget bill, multiple obstacles could impede progress amid political tensions and a narrow voting margin.

Following the Senate's passage of a spending bill to conclude a prolonged government shutdown, the contentious fight now shifts to the House of Representatives. With Republicans needing substantial unity to pass the budget and Democrats divided between pragmatism and progressivism, several hurdles await before a resolution can be reached. Key issues include the contentious debate over healthcare subsidies and the urgent need for lawmakers to return promptly amid flight delays caused by ongoing operational challenges.

A day after the US Senate passed a spending bill to end the longest-ever government shutdown, the budget fight now moves to the House of Representatives.

The lower chamber of Congress is expected to vote this week on the funding measure.

Unlike in the Senate, if House Republicans stay united, they don't need any Democrats to pass the budget. But the margin for error is razor thin.

Here are four potential hold-ups for the budget, before it can clear Congress and land on the president's desk for signing into law.

Will House Republicans budge on healthcare?

A key sticking point throughout the shutdown has been a desire on the part of Democrats to attach to the spending bill a renewal of tax credits that make health insurance less expensive for 24 million Americans.

Senate Republicans instead only agreed to grant Democrats a vote in December on whether to extend the subsidies – something they had already offered weeks ago.

And House Speaker Mike Johnson would not commit on Monday to allowing a vote in his chamber on the tax credits.

This entails a fair degree of political risk for Republicans, however. If they torpedo the subsidies, health coverage premiums could rocket, handing Democrats a ready-made campaign issue for next year's midterm elections.

Marjorie Taylor Greene, a conservative Republican congresswoman from Georgia, has broken ranks with President Donald Trump to warn that her party must ensure health insurance premiums do not spike.

As the clock ticks down to the subsidies expiring by the end of December, Republicans are working out their plan.

They want income caps on who can receive the tax credits and are proposing that tax dollars bypass insurance companies and go straight to individuals—although the details are unclear.

How intense will House Democratic opposition be?

Out of power in Washington, where Trump's Republicans control the House and Senate, Democrats appeared finally to have some political wind in their sails after a handful of election wins last week in Virginia, New Jersey and New York City.

But those victories have accentuated strategic tensions between the pragmatic and progressive factions of the party.

The Democratic left is furious at defectors who voted with Senate Republicans to pass the budget on Monday, seeing this as a capitulation to Trump.

From that wing of the party, Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said giving up the fight was a horrific mistake.

However, centrist lawmakers like Jared Golden of Maine may cross the aisle. Golden's office indicated he is likely to vote for the package. Another moderate, Henry Cuellar of Texas, could also help get the funding plan over the line.

Do Republicans have the votes?

Republicans control the House with 219 seats against the Democrats' 213 but can only afford to lose two votes to pass the spending plan. While most House Republicans are expected to support the funding package, given Trump backs it, some fiscal hawks in the party will raise objections.

Thomas Massie of Kentucky is expected to vote no, citing concerns over increasing federal debt.

The proposed deal would leave the federal government on a path to keep adding about $1.8 trillion a year to its $38 trillion of debt.

Will travel chaos delay the return to Washington?

House Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the chamber out of session for the last seven weeks to focus pressure on Senate Democrats to end the shutdown deal.

Now he is urging lawmakers to return to Washington with a vote set for Wednesday afternoon at the earliest. However, members of Congress face the same flight delays as other Americans during the spending impasse with rate reductions in US flights increasing.

Heavy snowfall and cold temperatures in the Midwest are adding to potential travel complications for lawmakers trying to make it back to Washington in time for the critical vote.