Senate Vote Delay Shrinks Time to Stop Government Shutdown
- Severe winter weather pushed Senate votes to Tuesday evening as snow threatens travel.
- Lawmakers now face fewer days to pass six funding bills before the deadline.
- Democratic and Republican disputes complicate efforts to avoid agency shutdowns.
The U.S. Senate delayed votes planned for Monday due to severe winter weather, narrowing the window for lawmakers to pass funding bills before a Jan. 30 government shutdown deadline. Senate leaders shifted votes to Tuesday evening as snow and ice threatened Washington, D.C., while pressure mounted to approve six remaining spending measures.
The change came as the House of Representatives had already passed a $1.2 trillion funding package, leaving the Senate with limited time to act. Senate leaders now face logistical hurdles, internal divisions, and weather disruptions as multiple federal agencies approach a funding cliff.
Weather Disruption Compresses Senate Schedule
Senate votes moved after warnings from the National Weather Service predicted heavy snowfall and ice accumulation in the capital. The National Weather Service issued the forecast over the weekend, prompting leadership to delay floor action.
Ryan Wrasse, a spokesperson for John Thune, said the delay aimed to account for “impending weather”. He added on social media that the urgency around funding deadlines remained unchanged.
Despite the shift, Wrasse reiterated that Congress must still fund the remaining parts of the government by Friday. As a result, senators now face fewer in-person days to negotiate and move legislation forward before the deadline.
Funding Package Faces Procedural and Political Hurdles
The House passed the $1.2 trillion funding package on Thursday and left town for a scheduled recess. The package included four bills, leaving six others for the Senate to approve to prevent a shutdown.
Those six bills now sit before the Senate as a single package. Still, leaders require cooperation from all 100 senators to speed up the process and meet the Jan. 30 deadline. At least seven Democrats must support the package to clear the Senate’s 60-vote threshold. Yet dissent has grown within the caucus as concerns over policy provisions intensify.
Democratic Concerns and Amendment Pressure Build
Sen. Tim Kaine criticised the House bills in public statements. He called for limits on Immigration and Customs Enforcement funding, protections for federal workers, and firm health insurance guarantees.
Kaine warned against approving spending measures without changes, stating lawmakers should not approve funding “without significant amendment”. He later repeated those remarks, noting he helped end last year’s prolonged shutdown. Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Coons said he remained undecided on how he would vote. Coons serves on the Appropriations Committee and spoke to reporters on Friday.
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Journalist Eleanor Terrett reported that a committee spokesperson offered “nothing to announce yet” regarding a markup. She added that lawmakers filed new amendments, including the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act from Sens. Roger Marshall, Dick Durbin, and Peter Welch. That proposal would bar certain credit card networks and issuers from requiring network exclusivity. Its addition increased the complexity of the final negotiations.
Republicans also face internal resistance. According to two sources familiar with private talks, a conservative group that includes Sen. Rick Scott has pressed leadership to hold a vote removing earmarks from the package.
A roll call report added that critics raised legal concerns over a provision allowing only senators to file lawsuits and collect at least $1 million each for actions tied to the previous administration. With the House absent and weather limiting Senate time, lawmakers now face a compressed schedule to prevent funding lapses at agencies such as the Pentagon, the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department. Will Congress reach a deal before time runs out?
