Speaker Johnson sets House vote on government funding bill after a
one-week postponement
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[September 18, 2024]
By KEVIN FREKING
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson will move ahead with a
temporary spending bill that would prevent a partial government shutdown
when the new budget year begins on Oct. 1, despite the headwinds that
prompted him to pull the bill from consideration last week.
The bill includes a requirement that people registering to vote must
provide proof of citizenship, which has become a leading election-year
priority for Republicans raising the specter of noncitizens voting in
the U.S., even though it's already illegal to do so and research has
shown that such voting is rare.
“I urge all of my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the
people of this country rightfully demand and deserve — prevent
non-American citizens from voting in American elections,” Johnson said
Tuesday.
Johnson told reporters he was not ready to discuss an alternative plan
to keep the government funded other than what will come before the House
on Wednesday.
“I’m not having any alternative conversations. That’s the play. It’s an
important one. And I’m going to work around the clock to try and get it
done,” Johnson said.
The legislation faces an uphill climb in the House and has no chance in
the Senate. The vast majority of Democrats oppose it, and some
Republicans do, too, but for different reasons.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the only way to
prevent a government shutdown was for both sides to work together on an
agreement. He said the House vote announced by Johnson was doomed to
fail.
“The only thing that will accomplish is make clear that he's running
into a dead end,” Schumer said. “We must have a bipartisan plan
instead.”
The legislation would fund agencies at current levels while lawmakers
work out their differences on a full-year spending agreement.
Democrats, and some Republicans, are pushing for a short extension. A
temporary fix would allow the current Congress to hammer out a final
bill after the election and get it to President Joe Biden's desk for his
signature.
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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaks at the Capitol in
Washington, July 23, 2024. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
But Johnson and some of the more conservative members of his conference
are pushing for a six-month extension in the hopes that Republican
nominee Donald Trump will win the election and give them more leverage
when crafting the full-year bill.
Schumer said a six-month measure would shortchange the Pentagon and
other government agencies that need more certainty about funding levels.
“You simply cannot run the military with six-month stopgaps,” Schumer
said.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell declined to weigh in on how
long to extend funding. He said Schumer and Johnson, ultimately, will
have to work out a final agreement that can pass both chambers.
“The one thing you cannot have is a government shutdown. It would be
politically beyond stupid for us to do that right before the election
because certainly we would get the blame,” McConnell said.
Johnson said last week that he was not giving up on his proposal just
yet and would be working through the weekend to build support. He said
ensuring that only U.S. citizens vote in federal elections is “the most
pressing issue right now and we’re going to get this job done.”
On Sunday, he traveled to Florida to meet with Trump, who had earlier
seemingly encouraged a government shutdown if Republicans “don’t get
assurances on Election Security.” Trump said on the social media
platform Truth Social that they should not go forward with a stopgap
bill without such assurances.
The House approved a bill with the proof of citizenship mandate back in
July. Some Republicans who view the issue as popular with their
constituents have been pushing for another chance to show their support
for the measure. Still, other Republicans are expected to vote no
because they view the spending in the bill as excessive.
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