Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has just hours to send a sweeping spending bill to the House after Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) dashed hopes of passing the legislation late on Thursday night.
There are still objections to fast-tracking the legislation on both sides of the aisle, according to a source familiar with the matter, including multiple Democrats who want more amendment votes. But Graham emerged as the most vocal stumbling block for leadership after he vented to reporters that immigration officials were being “demonized” by the Democrats and that Congress was wrong to repeal a provision directing $500,000 payouts for senators, including Graham, surveilled under the Biden-era “Arctic Frost” investigation.
Leadership is banking on the pressure cooker of a Friday night shutdown deadline to overcome those objections and has already enlisted the help of President Donald Trump, who endorsed the spending bill and urged senators to vote “yes” on Thursday.
The legislation punts on the thorniest matter for congressional Democrats: how to reform immigration enforcement after the deaths of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis this month.
But Democrats were able to secure a two-week extension for the Department of Homeland Security from the White House, a move that allows the remaining funding bills to pass while buying more time for negotiations.
A partial lapse in funding is all but guaranteed after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) made clear the House would not return before Monday, and, as a sign the funding deal would need significant Democratic support, rebel House members signaled their opposition to the DHS funding patch.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) also demanded a vote on the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship for voting, as part of any funding deal.
As of Friday morning, Johnson was set to hold a conference call with Republicans to discuss next steps on government funding.
The challenge for Thune will be getting all 100 senators to allow an expedited vote on the funding bill, or else leadership will be forced to spend days jumping through procedural hurdles.
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If the Senate passes the legislation, which covers the vast majority of discretionary spending, Washington may be able to avert a protracted shutdown like the one last year.
The White House has some flexibility on whether to declare a formal shutdown if the House appears poised to act.