• Senate Republicans face mounting obstacles in their bid to pass all 12 appropriations bills before the Sept. 30 deadline. With Democrats blocking quick confirmations and internal GOP divisions on spending strategy, the risk of a fourth consecutive short-term funding patch looms large over the Trump administration’s fiscal agenda.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — With summer recess fast approaching and the Sept. 30 government funding deadline closing in, Senate Republicans are scrambling to finalize the 12 annual appropriations bills needed to keep federal agencies running in fiscal year 2026. But partisan tensions, internal GOP debates, and procedural bottlenecks have brought the chamber to a near standstill—risking yet another stopgap funding measure and raising questions about congressional resolve under unified Republican leadership.

Despite strong ambitions following the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, momentum faltered after Senate Republicans quickly introduced a $9 billion rescissions bill, triggering delays that stalled the appropriations process for weeks. Now, with only two bills passed in the House and none cleared in the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune finds himself confronting a familiar legislative bottleneck.

Democrats Accused of Procedural Obstruction

Senator Thune has publicly accused Democrats of deliberately stonewalling the chamber’s ability to confirm President Trump’s civilian nominees and move to appropriations work. While Democrats are in the minority, their refusal to grant unanimous consent or allow voice votes on routine confirmations has effectively gummed up the Senate floor.

“A historic level of obstruction,” Thune declared on Monday, emphasizing the gravity of the impasse. “We need to make further progress on appropriations, and we have a number of President Trump’s nominations to get through.”

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Thune made clear that Republicans are prepared to continue legislative business through August if necessary—though not all members share his enthusiasm for upending the recess calendar.

Three Paths Forward

Thune is currently weighing three courses of action to resolve the standoff. The first would involve consolidating three key funding bills—those covering Agriculture-FDA, Commerce-Justice-Science, and Military Construction–VA—into a “minibus” package. This would provide a targeted, albeit partial, breakthrough on the broader appropriations gridlock.

However, some Senate Republicans are voicing concern about the bundling strategy, preferring instead that Thune invoke his second option: hold senators in session during the planned recess. This approach would demonstrate legislative seriousness, but risks backlash from members eager to return to their districts ahead of the fall campaign season.

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The third, and perhaps most likely scenario, is also the most frustrating for budget hawks and good-government advocates: a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR) that punts the issue beyond the September deadline. Congress relied on three such CRs to avoid a government shutdown in FY 2025, and failure to pass proper appropriations again would mark a fourth consecutive abdication of regular order.

“The ball is in Democrats’ court,” Thune said. “And I remind my colleagues about the dangerous and ugly precedent that they’re setting here.”

A Test of Governance in Unified Government

The irony is not lost on observers: even with the White House, House, and Senate under Republican control, the governing majority has yet to demonstrate it can deliver a timely, full-year budget. Democrats’ procedural resistance is real, but it is not the only barrier. Disagreements within the Republican conference over strategy and spending priorities remain persistent, despite a unified messaging front.

As time runs short, the question remains whether the Senate can rise above factionalism and procedural brinkmanship—or whether another CR will become business as usual in Washington.

Can Congress finally reclaim the power of the purse—or will another short-term fix signal permanent dysfunction?

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