Congress Divided on Funding Approach to Keep Government Open
Transportation Nominees Await Senate Votes
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With a Sept. 30 federal funding deadline fast approaching, lawmakers in the House and the Senate appear to be at an impasse over ways to avert a partial government shutdown.
Congressional leaders, divided along partisan lines, as of Sept. 17 had yet to approve legislation designed to keep federal agencies open beyond the funding deadline. At the same time, the Senate’s nomination process continues to experience partisan gridlock as Democrats governing in the minority rely on procedural hurdles to slow down votes on President Donald Trump’s nominees.
House Republicans recently introduced a bill that would keep agencies functioning for nearly two months — a move strongly opposed by Democrats. This short-term funding measure would keep federal agencies, such as the Department of Transportation, operating through Nov. 21. Senior Republicans have been calling on colleagues to support the legislation.
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“Keeping our government open and working for the American people is not a partisan issue — and this clean, short-term funding extension reflects that. As we continue advancing [fiscal year 2026] conference negotiations, this measure prevents the chaos of a shutdown and allows us to stay focused on restoring regular order,” Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said Sept. 16.
“It protects the real progress already made on appropriations, preserves stability for families and communities, and strengthens our position to complete the FY26 process responsibly,” Cole continued. “I remain firmly committed to working with President Trump, and with both chambers and sides of the aisle, to finish our fiscal duties and fulfill our [constitutional] Article I obligations.”
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Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Sept. 16 reflected on the partisan divisions on Capitol Hill. “There are some Democrats who are openly pining for a government shutdown. In spite of this obvious and necessary step, they’re grasping for straws as a party. And so some of them apparently believe that shutting down the government will be some sort of life raft for them so they can regain the support of the American people. I just think that is a fool’s gambit,” he said.
The congressional Democratic caucus, led by Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, both from New York, pushed back on the Republican proposal. A recently introduced Democratic-backed funding bill would ensure federal agencies and programs continue to run through Oct. 31 instead of Nov. 21.
Murray and DeLauro
“We invite Republican leadership to finally join Democratic leadership at the negotiating table, which they have refused for weeks to do, to prevent a shutdown and begin bipartisan negotiations to keep the government funded,” Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), ranking members on the Senate and House appropriations panels, said Sept. 17.
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This summer, the Senate Appropriations Committee backed a fiscal 2026 transportation bill that would provide $927 million for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The bill also would provide the Federal Highway Administration $63.3 billion, the Federal Aviation Administration $22 billion, the Federal Transit Administration $16.8 billion and the Federal Railroad Administration $2.9 billion. The House’s legislative version would allocate similar funds for those agencies and provide $200 million specifically for expanding truck parking operations nationwide.
A partial shutdown would occur if Congress does not clear for Trump funding bills before Oct. 1.
Meanwhile, consideration in the Senate for senior transportation nominees has not been scheduled. Awaiting floor votes are David Fink for the FRA, Sean McMaster to run the FHWA and Derek Barrs for the top post at FMCSA.
Approved by the Commerce Committee in July, Barrs is a former Florida Highway Patrol chief with more than three decades in public safety. He told senators this year, “FMCSA should support innovation while ensuring the highest level of safety on our nation’s roadways. This means FMCSA must guarantee the safe integration of Automated Driving Systems-equipped commercial motor vehicles.”
“A critical component of this,” Barrs went on, “is ensuring that these vehicles meet a level of safety that is equivalent to or greater than the safety standards we currently have in place for all commercial motor vehicles.”
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