Lawmakers in Washington D.C. are working hard to keep the government running. They’ve introduced a $174 billion plan to fund key departments and programs, hoping to avoid a shutdown at the end of January 2026.
After a long shutdown a few months ago, leaders are trying a new approach. Instead of one big bill, they’re breaking it down into smaller parts. This package focuses on areas like commerce, energy, interior, and justice, along with important water projects, the EPA, and science programs.
A key part of this plan is about $3 billion for “Community Project Funding.” These are special requests from lawmakers to support local projects, like improving safety, providing affordable energy, fixing water systems, and managing flood risks.
The biggest share of the money would go to the Departments of Commerce and Justice, along with agencies like the FBI, NASA, and the Bureau of Prisons. This would total about $78 billion.
The next largest part, over $58 billion, is for energy and water development, mostly through the Department of Energy. About $25 billion of that is for the National Nuclear Security Administration, with a large portion going to nuclear weapons activities and keeping our defenses up to date.
The Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies would get about $38 billion. This covers the Department of the Interior, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Forest Service, and other related programs.
This plan is the result of talks between Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate.
Representative Tom Cole, a Republican from Oklahoma who leads the House Appropriations Committee, said the plan makes progress toward responsible funding. He highlighted investments in community safety, affordable energy, and managing resources.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, said the bill is a step away from big, wasteful spending bills. He also pointed out that it would spend less than simply continuing the current funding levels, which should reassure conservatives who want to control spending.
However, Representative Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut, sees the bill as a rejection of cuts to public services that she says were proposed by the previous administration and Republicans.
It’s not yet clear if some conservative members of the House, like Representatives Chip Roy from Texas and Ralph Norman from South Carolina, will support the bill. They have a key role in deciding whether it moves forward for a full vote.
Representative Andy Harris, a Republican from Maryland and leader of the House Freedom Caucus, said the bill seems to keep spending below last year’s levels, which he sees as a good first step toward lowering spending and controlling the national debt.
The House is expected to vote on the bill soon. To move forward, it will need support from nearly all House Republicans.
Senator Chuck Schumer, the top Democrat in the Senate, said before the holiday break that his party wants to finish the funding bills by the deadline.
Even with this progress, a government shutdown is still possible due to disagreements in Washington. However, both parties say they want to avoid a repeat of the shutdown from last fall.
Senator Dick Durbin, a Democrat from Illinois, said he doesn’t want to see another shutdown. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, added that the previous administration wants to avoid a shutdown and is sending the message that the normal funding process needs to move forward.
