Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has surprised Democrats by scheduling a vote Thursday on advancing the $852 billion defense appropriations bill amid the government shutdown. The defense

Democrats have to decide today whether voting in favor of advancing a full-year appropriations bill will weaken their negotiating position in the government shutdown.

"This is a critical piece of legislation for our community of government contractors who see themselves as partners to the government," said Stephanie Kostro.

Senate Democrats signal they will likely block a procedural vote on the defense spending bill, despite Senate Majority Leader John Thune's, R-S.D., efforts to restart funding.

House Republicans this week feuded over energy policies and advanced provisions bucking traditional priorities. House Republicans advanced three more fiscal 2026 spending bills this week, making some progress on appropriations ahead of the Oct. 1 funding ...

On Monday (Oct. 6), the nonprofit Planetary Society held a "day of action" to urge Congress to restore NASA's science funding, which was slashed nearly in half in the White House's proposed 2026 federal budget.

Opinion: When the Republicans can’t pass their own appropriations bills out of the House, it is ludicrous to blame anyone but themselves.