House Speaker Mike Johnson secured a narrow victory Tuesday, February 3, 2026, advancing a government spending bill to end a four-day partial shutdown. The legislation’s passage, heavily influenced by President Donald Trump’s push to avoid political fallout before the 2026 midterms, saw only one Republican, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, vote against it.
As the House prepared to vote on the legislation to end the shutdown, the path forward was uncertain. Initially, Representatives Thomas Massie (R-Kentucky) and John Rose (R-Tennessee) voted against advancing the bill, and four other Republican lawmakers abstained. Had these votes not been flipped, the measure would have failed. Republican leadership, with assistance from President Trump, worked to persuade the holdouts.
Ultimately, the four abstaining lawmakers—Byron Donalds (R-Florida), Andy Ogles (R-Tennessee), Victoria Spartz (R-Indiana), and Troy Nehls (R-Texas)—changed their votes to ‘yes.’ John Rose also switched his vote, leaving Thomas Massie as the only Republican to vote against the bill. The measure advanced with a slim 217-215 margin, with a final passage vote expected later that day. President Trump is anticipated to sign the bill into law.
Thomas Massie has a history of voting against spending bills and has previously clashed with President Trump. Trump publicly criticized Massie on social media regarding his vote. John Rose, meanwhile, expressed his desire for the SAVE Act, a voter ID bill, to be included in the funding package, stating, “The SAVE Act belongs on must-pass legislation.”
Some conservative House members had advocated for amendments, including the voter ID provision. However, they relented after President Trump declared his opposition to any changes that would send the bill back to the Senate. Rose eventually followed suit, though not without causing initial concern for House leadership.
The close vote underscored the challenges Speaker Mike Johnson faces with his slim majority. Johnson had expressed confidence before the vote, stating, “the Republicans are going to do the responsible thing.” He received significant support from President Trump, who urged lawmakers via social media to pass the bill promptly.
While Republicans have occasionally defied Trump, he was instrumental in rallying support for this compromise funding measure, despite some GOP lawmakers’ reservations. The bill includes a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security, allowing for further debate on reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a point of contention among some Republicans.
