House minority leader says Republicans can't rely on Democrats to pass funding bill, raising fears of longer shutdown

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

Updated Jan 31, 2026, 5:11 PM ET
PUBLISHED Jan 31, 2026, 4:36 PM ET


House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told Speaker Mike Johnson on Saturday that Democrats won’t help Republicans pass a funding bill to reopen the government if they attempt to fast-track the measure Monday, according to two sources familiar with a call between the leaders.

Jeffries’ move is a major gamble since he would be rebelling against a deal cut by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Donald Trump to approve funding for much of the federal government through the end of September. The deal only funds the Department of Homeland Security for two weeks to allow for long-term negotiations on federal immigration enforcement.

The Senate voted to pass the measure just hours before a Friday deadline to fund the government, but the House is not expected to return to Washington until Monday to vote on final approval. With the funding deadline passed, Washington entered a partial government shutdown.

Many Democrats say DHS shouldn’t receive the two weeks of funding — and Jeffries appears to be siding with them, raising the possibility that the shutdown could extend past Monday.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2026/01/31/politics/government-funding-bill-shutdown-fears

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Tell Mikie to go pound sand.

[in2herbs]

1. I saw Jeffries wink-winking at Johnson as he was speaking which means Jeffries, again, doesn't

mean what he says cuz I remember him saying he would vote no on the funding unless ICE funding was removed.

[regnaD kciN]

2. Isn't that kind of irrelevant...?

There’s no filibuster in the House, and Republicans have a majority there.

[BumRushDaShow]

3. It's "relevant" because IF they get enough votes to agree to "suspending the Rules"

then they could pass the Senate version, relatively quickly - i.e., on Monday. But it's a high bar to get there (they need 290 votes meaning 70 Democrats would have to go along with ALL 220 Republicans).

Otherwise they would have to go through their "regular Rules process" and battle it out in the Rules committee regarding being able to amend the Senate version (and decide how many amendments might be allowed), and that will include triggering the RW teabagger loons into refusing to support any changes to what they originally passed... potentially extending the SHUTDOWN for days while Mikie corrals their rabid dogs.

If the House changes what the Senate just passed, it would have to go BACK to the Senate again for another vote.

[modrepub]

4. Heads I Win, Tails You Loose

How come it always seems to be the Democratic party’s fault?!?

[Miguelito Loveless]

5. Looks like the Dem leadership

is trying to have it both ways The Senate Dems cave, the House Dems drag their feet so they can claim they tried to stop the bill, but they just didn’t have the votes.