White House presses Congress to pass bipartisan funding bill as storm recovery and FEMA aid loom

WASHINGTON — The White House is pushing Congress to advance a bipartisan government funding package, warning that a lapse would hit Americans still recovering from a damaging winter storm and could disrupt disaster assistance. At a briefing, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the administration backs the bipartisan work already done and wants the Senate to move the bill forward rather than letting other policy fights stall core operations.

Leavitt signaled that immigration-related talks — including discussions linked to Minnesota — are ongoing and being led by President Donald Trump, but she argued those negotiations should not be allowed to crowd out the immediate need to keep the government funded. She emphasized that the funding package would include FEMA resources at a time when many households and local governments are still dealing with storm impacts and cleanup.

“We absolutely do not want to see that funding lapse, and we want the Senate to move forward with passing the bipartisan appropriations package that was negotiated on a bipartisan basis,” Leavitt said.

The White House message aims to frame the appropriations vote as a practical, short-term test of governance: keep federal agencies operating, avoid uncertainty for disaster response, and prevent a disruption in services that could compound hardship in storm-affected regions. Officials described the appropriations effort as separate from larger, more divisive debates — including border and immigration proposals — that can continue without risking an immediate shutdown.

For lawmakers, the coming days will involve choosing whether to treat the funding measure as must-pass, or as leverage in broader negotiations. The administration is trying to reduce that leverage by arguing that a shutdown would carry clear costs: delays and confusion for communities seeking FEMA assistance, interruptions for federal workers, and added instability while parts of the country remain focused on recovery and winter weather threats.

Leavitt’s comments also served as a signal to federal agencies and the public that the White House wants a straightforward vote on funding first — with contentious policy disputes handled on a separate track. The administration’s posture reflects concern that even a short lapse could ripple through emergency management, agency staffing, and public-facing services during an active winter season.