LINCOLN – As a potential federal government shutdown approaches at the end of the week, all three of Nebraska’s U.S. House representatives voted to advance a House spending bill to keep the government open.

The House passed legislation Tuesday to keep the federal government funded through September. The proposal would reduce spending overall compared to last year’s totals, increasing military funding by approximately $6 billion and decreasing non-defense spending.

Now it goes to the Senate, where the state’s senior senator is keeping her stance on the House GOP spending bill close to her chest. 

Nebraska U.S. Sens. Deb Fischer and Pete Ricketts will be key votes since Senate Republicans will need 60 votes to avoid a filibuster. Unlike in the House, the Senate vote on the spending proposal requires support from seven Democrats or Independents in the chamber if there are no GOP holdouts. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky has hinted that he is a likely no vote, so Republicans might need eight.

Nebraska’s congressional delegation, from left, U.S. Pete Ricketts, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer and U.S. Rep. Mike Flood on June 19, 2023, in Lincoln, Neb. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)

A Fischer spokesperson declined Wednesday to comment on whether she would vote for the House spending bill. 

Ricketts signaled a yes vote during his press call on Wednesday. He said it would be Senate Democrats who decide whether to shut down the government.

“I hope that my Democrat colleagues will see the wisdom in keeping government open and voting for the CR,” Ricketts told the media Wednesday. 

Democrats have expressed worries about the discretion the bill gives the Trump administration on spending decisions. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York signaled Wednesday that Democrats would reject the House spending bill unless it changes. Washington lawmakers must meet a midnight Friday deadline to avoid partially shutting down the federal government. 

A shutdown would pause some government services and close national parks and monuments. Essential federal services, like air traffic control and law enforcement, would continue, but many workers would not be paid until the shutdown is resolved. 

On the House side, U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., had said two weeks ago that he did not support a “clear” spending bill because it would have cut military spending by 3%. He said he voted for the House bill because it was a continuing resolution with modifications, “where it made sense,” including on defense spending. In a statement after his vote, Bacon said, “While I do not like CRs [continuing resolutions], we cannot let the government shut down and not be there to serve the people.”

“I tried to optimize what I could on the [continuing resolution] to take care of our national security,” Bacon told reporters on Wednesday.  

U.S. Rep. Adrian Smith, a Republican who represents Nebraska’s largely rural 3rd Congressional District, told the Examiner he was disappointed that the spending bill didn’t secure more bipartisan support.

“It’s disappointing nearly every Democrat in the House voted against preventing a harmful government shutdown,” Smith said. “To properly address appropriations for the upcoming fiscal year, Congress needs to get back to regular order.” 

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said Democrats voted against the GOP proposal because it would cut Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security. House Appropriations Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma said that’s false. Bacon also said the “CR does not gut any programs.” 

Not every Democrat voted against the House bill. A Democratic representative from Maine voted for it, while a Republican representative from Kentucky voted against the House GOP plan. The bill narrowly passed the House with a 217-213 vote. 

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., who represents eastern Nebraska’s 1st District, voted yes on the spending bill, as did Bacon and Smith. Flood is vice chair of the Main Street Caucus, a House Republican’s policymaking group. He released a joint statement with Chair South Dakota Rep. Dusty Johnson on the vote. 

“This vote puts Congress on the path to deliver President Trump’s tax cuts and control federal spending through reconciliation,” the statement reads. “We urge our colleagues in the Senate to act quickly to pass the CR to keep the government working for the people.”

If the Senate passes the proposal, it will go to President Donald Trump to sign and extend federal spending for six months. Typically, Washington lawmakers are able to pass resolutions to keep the government funded, but party politics sometimes get in the way. 

The last time the federal government shut down was during Trump’s first term.