Accountancy Slice

North America

The Republican-led House has narrowly approved legislation to end a partial U.S. government shutdown, passing the funding bill by a 217–214 vote before President Donald Trump signed it into law. The measure restores funding for much of the government through the end of the fiscal year, while temporarily funding the Department of Homeland Security until mid-February to allow further negotiations over immigration enforcement. The package allocates $11.2bn to the IRS for the current fiscal year, down from prior levels, with the largest share going to enforcement. It also rescinds $11.7bn in previously approved mandatory IRS funding from Democrats’ 2022 tax and climate law, further shrinking a funding pool that has already been substantially reduced through earlier cuts and agency spending. The vote exposed deep divisions within and between the parties, with most Democrats opposing the bill over concerns about immigration policy and some Republicans dissenting over unrelated election issues. The agreement now sets the stage for intense talks over immigration enforcement standards, with both sides warning that reaching a compromise will be difficult.