The Senate package to reopen the government cleared its first hurdle in the House of Representatives and is headed for a tight floor vote

The House Rules Committee on Monday advanced a piece of legislation aimed at ending the partial government shutdown, leaving the Republican leadership facing a close floor vote scheduled for Tuesday, when it will seek final passage.

Given the razor-thin Republican majority—even slimmer after the addition of Democrat Christian Menefee—the party can only allow one member to opt out on any partisan vote, provided all are present and participating.

The committee on Monday advanced the funding package by 8 votes to 4, following the partisan split. The measure, which was endorsed by the Senate last week, includes a "minibus" with five annual appropriations bills and a two-week extension of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in order to allow room to negotiate Democratic demands to incorporate immigration enforcement changes.

If passed, the bill would fund almost the entire government with more than $1 trillion. The only exception would be DHS, which would continue to operate under a two-week extension while Democrats push to include safeguards in immigration enforcement.

The federal government partially shut down over the weekend after senators advanced the bill without funding for the Department of Homeland Security, following the killing of two U.S. citizens by federal agents in Minneapolis.

"I think we’ll get it done by tomorrow"

House Speaker, Mike Johnson, postponed the vote a day later because, he said, Democrats told him they would not provide the votes needed to skip the procedural steps.

"I think we’ll get it done by tomorrow," Johnson said Monday. However, the GOP needs to hold together on the rule's procedural vote - a type of vote that usually follows party lines and tests the majority's control over the floor - which allows the final vote to be called.

According to NBC News, prospects for the bill improved throughout Monday after the president Trump expressed support and Democrat Rosa DeLauro endorsed it.

"We need to get the Government open, and I hope all Republicans and Democrats will join me in supporting this Bill, and send it to my desk WITHOUT DELAY. There can be NO CHANGES at this time," Trump wrote on Truth Social Monday.

The House minority leader, Hakeem Jeffries, avoided saying Monday whether he will vote for the bill and merely noted that House Democrats have "a variety of perspectives" on it and that he will discuss it with his team.