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When the House of Representatives closed up shop for a two-week recess on Thursday, it left Washington, D.C. facing a major financial crisis. The city is now staring down a $1.1 billion budget shortfall — and city leaders are scrambling for solutions.
Despite President Donald Trump’s direct push for Republicans to resolve the issue, lawmakers walked away without passing the critical funding measure.
City Leaders Warn of Immediate Consequences
Mayor Muriel Bowser and members of the D.C. Council had been sounding alarms throughout the week, emphasizing the urgency of the situation. “We need that to happen this week,” Bowser said earlier, warning of fast-approaching cuts and layoffs.
By Friday, however, the mayor had gone quiet, declining to speak about the next steps for the city.
Just before Congress recessed, Bowser made a final push online, tagging Speaker Mike Johnson and Trump on social media. She warned that without a solution, D.C. would see cuts to “police overtime, firefighters, and programs for our kids … The House should not recess until this bill is passed.”
Bowser also reshared Trump’s post from late March in which he told House Republicans to pass the measure and “get it done IMMEDIATELY.”
Funding Dispute Triggers Budget Shortfall
This budget battle dates back to March, when Congress passed a federal funding bill requiring D.C. to revert to its 2024 budget framework — slicing $1.1 billion from a budget that had already been approved.
Bowser launched an aggressive lobbying effort in Congress to stop the rollback. She warned that the loss of funds would lead to widespread cuts, impacting essential services and possibly triggering layoffs of teachers and police officers.
While the Senate passed the bill that included the cuts, it quickly followed with a separate proposal to restore the lost funds. That fix now sits stalled in the House. Even with public backing from both police and firefighter unions — and Trump’s urging — the House failed to even debate the measure.
Uncertainty Looms Over City Services and Staffing
No one knows exactly what’s coming next, but city leaders are bracing for serious consequences. Bowser has openly discussed the possibility of staff reductions in the police department and education system.
D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said last week there isn’t “a hard and fast deadline” yet, but warned that the budget pressure is intensifying. “A vice that’s closing … At some point, the dollars are not going to be there and we will have to act.”
Among the areas facing immediate risk is overtime spending for public safety. Bowser explained Thursday, “If we have to make drastic cuts … It could affect some ways that we keep the city safe.”
