• Republican lawmakers are bracing for a potential government shutdown as President Trump’s bold fiscal agenda, including the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act and a sweeping rescissions package, fuels partisan tensions. With Senate Democrats vowing resistance and another rescissions wave looming, Capitol Hill may face a budgetary impasse ahead of the September funding deadline.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — Congressional Republicans are sounding the alarm over a potential government shutdown this fall, as partisan tensions flare following two contentious legislative battles over President Trump’s fiscal agenda. The administration’s proposed follow-up rescissions package—intended to trim billions in federal spending—has ignited concern even among Republican appropriators wary of derailing delicate negotiations.

At the center of the brewing conflict is Russell Vought, the White House budget director, whose ambitious proposals have prompted warnings from Senate leaders that such moves may imperil a return to “regular order” in the appropriations process.

A Fractured Fiscal Path

In recent months, Congress approved President Trump’s One Big, Beautiful Bill Act, which slashed nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid and imposed sweeping reductions across domestic programs. A subsequent rescissions package defunded PBS and NPR, reclaimed foreign aid outlays, and canceled unspent COVID-19 emergency funds. Though these measures passed on party lines, they left behind a trail of political acrimony.

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Now, with government funding set to expire at the end of September, Republican leaders are urging caution. A senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee noted, “If the White House sends up another rescissions package, it will be met with mixed results.”

“I agree with John Thune that we need to get to a regular appropriations process,” the lawmaker continued, referring to the Senate Majority Leader. “The timing, if they do another one, is going to have to be better timed and much more detailed.”

Schumer and the Democrats Dig In

Democrats, still reeling from what they view as partisan overreach, are sharpening their posture ahead of fall negotiations. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer warned that Republicans should not expect “business as usual.”

Schumer came under fire from the progressive flank of his party for acquiescing to the March funding bill, a decision he defended as necessary to prevent ceding operational authority to President Trump.

“A shutdown would give Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE and Russell Vought the keys to the city, state, and country,” Schumer said at the time.

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Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) underscored rising frustrations on the left:

“Frankly, a lot of our approval rating problems are from Democrats dissatisfied with our level of fight.”

Meanwhile, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the prior funding deal a “disaster,” urging a return to bipartisan norms.

Republicans Urge Restraint on Rescissions

In the upper chamber, even some Republicans are voicing hesitations. Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), an Appropriations Committee member, advised that any further rescissions be processed through standard legislative channels.

“I’m going to counsel hard that they consider running them through the appropriations process,” Rounds said. “Strategically, if you want to do appropriations, you’ve got to have 60 votes in the Senate, and Democrats have to play a part in that.”

Senator Thune is likewise seeking a tactical pivot. His team aims to bring a package of noncontroversial appropriations bills to the floor before the August recess. These may include agriculture, veterans affairs, and legislative branch measures—areas with a history of bipartisan support.

“Let’s start marking up bills, trying to get them on the floor, and have a regular order appropriations process,” Thune said, emphasizing the need for Democratic cooperation.

The Shutdown Threat Looms

Despite strategic recalibrations, the specter of a shutdown lingers. Several GOP senators believe that progressive Democrats—many of whom are eyeing higher office or committee leadership—are inclined to dig in their heels over fiscal matters.

“They’re ready to have that fight already,” one Republican senator observed. “We’re talking about how we’re going to fund the government, and we know that no matter what we do, they’re going to want to fight.”

With just weeks remaining before Congress must act, both sides are preparing for a potential deadlock. The Senate’s rules require 60 votes to advance appropriations bills, meaning a handful of Democrats can stall even modest proposals.

The Biden-era precedent of omnibus spending bills rammed through by narrow majorities may have worked in the past, but under President Trump’s leadership, Republicans are attempting a reset—albeit in a divided Washington where consensus remains elusive.

Will fiscal responsibility prevail over partisan rancor—or are lawmakers already steering toward another manufactured crisis?

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