Congress approves 2-year budget deal, all but ending short-lived government shutdown


On Friday morning, the House narrowly approved a bipartisan two-year budget deal, 240-186, with Democratic votes needed to overcome a revolt by fiscal conservatives in the majority Republican caucus. The Senate passed the bill earlier Friday morning, 71-28, but not before the government shut down at midnight. Once President Trump signs the bill, the short-lived and unexpected shutdown will be over. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) proudly took the blame for this shutdown, throwing up procedural hurdles on Thursday night to protest the legislation's surge in deficit spending — the bill adds roughly $320 billion to the federal deficit.
The legislation raises budget caps on military and domestic spending, adds $90 billion for hurricane and wildfire recovery, extends $17 billion in business tax breaks, authorizes infrastructure and opioid-fighting spending, and renews several large health-care programs. It does not include protections for DREAMers, or young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, as House Democrats had hoped. The legislation only funds the government until March 23, at which point Congress will have to pass what lawmakers hope is the final spending bill of fiscal 2018.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa: a tranquil haven in Sardinia
The Week Recommends This family-friendly resort is steps from the sea and boasts a well-equipped kids' club
-
America's controversial path to the atomic bomb
In Depth The bombing of Hiroshima followed years of escalation by the U.S., but was it necessary?
-
Crossword: August 6, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement