Congress Gridlocked With Shutdown Deadline Days Away
House Stopgap Plan Faces Uncertain Path in Senate
Key Takeaways:
- Congressional leaders remain deadlocked on preventing a federal government shutdown before Oct. 1, with no clear path forward from ongoing negotiations.
- The White House endorsed short-term funding legislation passed by the House, but a planned meeting between President Trump and Democratic leaders was canceled.
- The Senate is advancing the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes trucking industry provisions for military installation access and driver restroom facilities.
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Legislation meant to avert a partial federal shutdown has yet to reach President Donald Trump’s desk as the Senate maintains its focus on the annual Pentagon policy bill.
Congressional leaders are at an impasse over ways to avert a shutdown before the end of the month. Senior senators continue to negotiate terms of fiscal 2026 funding legislation on the heels of a that would keep agencies operating through mid-November.
Senate floor managers as early as Sept. 29 are expected to debate a framework for a short-term funding package. The House has adjourned for the rest of the month, contributing to speculation of a possible shutdown. Neither party leader has reached consensus on a path forward.
A high-profile meeting between Trump and Democratic caucus leaders this month was canceled.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) reacted to the meeting’s cancellation: “Trump is running away from the negotiating table before he even gets there. While Americans face rising costs and a Republican health care crisis, Trump would rather throw a tantrum than do his job.”
The president took to his social media platform Truth Social to argue his case.
“I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive,” he wrote. “They are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States unless they can have over $1 Trillion Dollars in new spending to continue free healthcare for Illegal Aliens.”
The White House, however, has strongly endorsed the House-passed short-term funding legislation. The Office of Management and Budget warned that a government shutdown would be “disastrous for the American people.”
“For instance,” according to OMB, “key government services and activities would be disrupted, the administration’s ability to promote health care transparency and protect vulnerable Americans from predatory health care billing would be impeded, and eventually military families would not receive paychecks.”
Funding authority for the federal government expires Oct. 1. Without a bill enacted before that deadline, a shutdown of most federal agencies would occur.
A Senate committee in July approved a fiscal 2026 transportation funding 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 fiscal 2026 version would provide similar funds for the agencies as well as $200 million for expanding truck parking operations around the country.
RELATED:Congress Divided on Funding Approach to Keep Government Open
As fiscal appropriations dominate the debate on Capitol Hill, the Senate is proceeding with its annual policy bill for the Pentagon.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has signaled the potential for the chamber to finalize the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act as soon as this fall. The annual measure has long been a legislative tool for advancing key provisions on energy and environmental policies, commercial transportation in addition to all-things military.
Thune has signaled the potential for the Senate to finalize the fiscal 2026 National Defense Authorization Act as soon as this fall. (Allison Robbert/Bloomberg)
“This year’s National Defense Authorization Act boosts America’s shipbuilding,” Thune explained, adding, “And that includes additional combat ships and submarines that are essential to delivering American power anywhere in the world.”
American Trucking Associations’ Moving & Storage Conference is advocating policymakers include in the NDAA enhanced uniform standards to improve access to military installations. The group also promotes the approval of provisions specific to cost management, quality, capacity and technological enhancements.
“From combating moving fraud, to supporting relocating military families, to protecting independent contractors, there is no shortage of challenges our industry must tackle,” said Dan Hilton, executive director of ATA’s Moving & Storage Conference, after high-profile meetings this month with members of Congress.
The Republican-led House this month approved its version of the annual must-pass NDAA. Included in that massive Pentagon bill is a provision that would ensure truckers working with proper security credentials have access to restroom facilities within close proximity of their assignments.
“The [fiscal year 2026] NDAA makes a generational investment in our national defense and implements President Trump’s peace through strength agenda,” said House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) on Sept. 10.
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