The United States government found itself in a partial shutdown over the weekend, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has voiced “confidence” that a resolution will be reached by Tuesday. The legislative clock is ticking as the House prepares to consider a Senate-approved spending package, yet the path to reopening remains fraught with partisan division, particularly concerning the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
A Race Against the Clock
The partial government shutdown commenced on Saturday morning after Congress failed to pass a spending package by the January 30th deadline, leaving several federal agencies unfunded. Speaker Johnson, appearing on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday, expressed cautious optimism. “Let’s say I’m confident that we’ll do it at least by Tuesday,” he stated, acknowledging the logistical challenge of assembling lawmakers in Washington.
The current legislative maneuver involves the House taking up a spending package that has already cleared the Senate. This package, however, is not without its controversies. It emerged after Senate Democrats pushed for significant alterations to an initial House bill, specifically demanding the removal of full DHS funding following a contentious incident involving federal immigration agents in Minnesota. The compromise now includes a two-week stopgap measure for DHS, with the expectation that broader reforms to immigration operations will follow. The House Rules Committee is slated to meet on Monday, signaling the formal start of the process to bring the amended bill to the floor.
The Democratic Standoff on DHS
The heart of the current legislative gridlock lies in Democratic demands for substantive changes to DHS’s immigration enforcement policies. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has made it clear that his caucus will not provide the votes necessary to fast-track the spending package without assurances of “dramatic reform.” Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Jeffries emphasized, “The administration can’t just talk the talk. They need to walk the walk. That should begin today. Not in two weeks, today.”
Sources close to the negotiations indicate that Jeffries has directly informed Johnson that Democrats will not support a “suspension of the rules” vote, which would require a two-thirds majority to expedite the bill’s passage. This resistance significantly complicates Johnson’s strategy, forcing him to rely predominantly on Republican votes. Adding to the Democratic opposition, Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) declared on “Meet the Press” that he would be a “firm no” on the package, citing concerns over funding ICE agents amidst alleged constitutional rights violations.
Navigating a Narrow Path
Speaker Johnson’s task is made even more challenging by the Republican Party’s razor-thin majority in the House, which stands at 218-213 and is expected to narrow further. “I have a one-vote margin, yes, for the rest of 2026,” Johnson conceded, underscoring the delicate balance required to pass any legislation. Despite the hurdles, he affirmed his party’s commitment: “But we’re going to demonstrate once again that this is the party that takes governing seriously.”
Beyond the contentious DHS funding, the broader spending package aims to fully fund several critical departments through the remainder of the fiscal year. These include Defense, Treasury, State, Health and Human Services, Labor, Housing and Urban Development, Transportation, and Education. The successful passage of this package would avert a more widespread and prolonged government shutdown.
As Monday unfolds, all eyes will be on Capitol Hill, where the fate of federal operations hangs in the balance, dependent on whether Speaker Johnson can rally sufficient support to bridge the partisan divide and deliver on his promise of reopening the government by Tuesday.
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