The Republican Study Committee, which represents a large block of House conservatives, is backing a short-term continuing resolution that would fund the government into at least January 2026, framing it as a way to restore regular order while fighting pandemic-era policy expansions like enhanced Obamacare subsidies.
The RSC Steering Committee, speaking for a 189-member group, formally endorsed an extension that buys lawmakers more time to settle fiscal year 2026 spending. Their backing signals where a sizable chunk of House Republicans want to land: more runway, less last-minute chaos. This is positioned as a pragmatic move to avoid another shutdown scramble before key deadlines.
“Democrats are responsible for the longest government shutdown in U.S. history — paralyzing our country and deepening the healthcare crisis sparked by Obamacare,” the RSC statement reads exactly, assigning blame to Democrats for the standoff. That charge sets the tone for the group’s demand that Congress reject policy expansions they see as costly. The RSC wants funding stability without adding what they call wasteful spending riders.
“House conservatives support a return to regular order accomplished only by a continuing resolution that funds the government at least into January 2026,” the group declared, arguing a January CR gives appropriators time to do their jobs. The message is that a measured extension preserves leverage while avoiding a full shutdown. It also keeps pressure on Senate leaders to negotiate on terms conservatives find acceptable.
Still, internal GOP differences are very real, and the debate over how long any CR should last is getting louder. The House Freedom Caucus has pushed for a CR extending into November 2026, saying a longer pause in new spending fights would lock in fiscal discipline and sidestep another ugly funding fight during the midterms. Appropriators and other lawmakers counter that leaning on last year’s spending levels for another full year is no substitute for Congress doing its constitutional duty.
The Senate remains stalled, with Democrats insisting that any funding deal include an extension of pandemic-era Obamacare subsidies set to expire. Senate leaders have floated votes and back-and-forth compromises, including the idea of offering a subsidy vote if Republicans accept a clean CR. That option worries RSC leaders, who have signaled opposition to renewing subsidies they call costly and prone to abuse.
“We are also committed to delivering a healthcare system that is truly accessible, affordable, and spurs innovation. Congress should reject any extension of the wasteful COVID-era subsidies that fuel fraud and drive up costs,” the RSC added, making their healthcare priorities plain and nonnegotiable when it comes to those subsidies. Some Republican lawmakers, however, argue a one-year extension would prevent a coverage cliff that could raise premiums for millions. That split highlights the tightrope GOP leaders must walk between principle and short-term pain avoidance.
Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly signaled support for a January CR in private GOP meetings, and House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole has indicated he could back an extension into January as well. Those signals suggest the chamber’s leadership is leaning toward the RSC’s middle ground even as factions argue for shorter or much longer options. The push-and-pull will play out across committees and conference rooms as lawmakers decide what level of compromise they can accept.
Practical concerns complicate the politics: appropriators say Congress should produce an annual budget rather than lean on last year’s numbers, and several Senate Democrats would likely balk at a year-long CR because of filibuster math. Meanwhile, the shutdown has stretched into more than a month, already the longest funding standoff on record, and the pressure to find a stopgap that holds is intense. Expect the fight to continue on Capitol Hill as conservatives press for fiscal discipline while some Republicans seek temporary cushions for healthcare costs.
