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Exclusive / Stopgap spending bill stalls over security funding

Sep 16, 2025, 5:03am EDT
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Tom Cole
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

House Republicans stalled the release of a short-term spending bill that would keep the government open through most of November, as lawmakers weighed how to protect themselves following Charlie Kirk’s assassination.

House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole told reporters Monday night that leaders would finalize text as soon as “they figure out what to do on member security,” and said they plan to include money the Trump administration requested for executive and judicial branch security.

House Republicans will discuss a pilot program, set to lapse at the end of the month, that gives members extra money to spend on security in their districts at their weekly conference meeting this morning, per a person familiar.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune wants the Senate to move the continuing resolution this week if possible, though he indicated he would not attach a popular Russia sanctions bill.

Democrats continued to revolt, with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer declaring Thune and Johnson won’t meet with Democrats and calling Johnson’s bill a “total partisan proposal.” The stopgap will need at least seven Democrats to get through the Senate.

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