House set to vote on short-term funding bill to avoid government shutdown; Senate will follow
1 of 2 | House Speaker Mike Johnson is planning a Wednesday funding vote to avoid a government shutdown. It’s a stopgap bill with funding through Dec. 20. An add-on Trump-backed requirement for proof of citizenship before voting was stripped from the bill. It’s against existing federal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections. Photo by Annabelle Gordon/UPI | License Photo
The House is expected to vote Wednesday on a short-term funding bill to avoid a U.S. government shutdown ahead of a deadline at the end of the month.
The bill that will come before the chamber will keep the government funded at current levels through Dec. 20, while also providing $231 million in additional funding for the Secret Service following the second apparent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump on Sept. 15. Advertisement
The House last week voted 220-202 to defeat a previous version of the bill that included a Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, endorsed by Trump, which aimed to implement requirements for Americans to show proof of citizenship to vote, despite voting as a non-citizen already being a crime.
In that vote 14, Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the measure, introduced by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La.
Johnson over the weekend reached a deal to bring forward the “bare bones” continuing resolution that only included “extensions that are absolutely necessary” to keep federal agencies funded.
On Monday, that measure failed to reach the necessary support in the House Rules Committee, leading to Wednesday’s vote on the Hosue floor which will take place under suspension of rules — requiring support from two-thirds of House lawmakers to pass. Advertisement
Despite the turmoil, Johnson said he believed the continuing resolution would “pass by a wide margin.”
He asserted, however, that “the best play under the circumstances was the CR with the SAVE Act” saying that he was not “defying Trump” by moving on without it as he conceded that “it would be political malpractice to shut the government down.”
“I’ve spoken with him at great length, and he is very frustrated about the situation,” Johnson said of Trump. “His concern is election security, and it is mine, as well. It is all of ours.”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the Senate will vote on the House funding bill Wednesday afternoon.
“American families can rest assured now that their lives won’t be needlessly upended due to an unnecessary government shutdown,” Schumer said, adding he was “pleased” that House Republicans appeared to have learned that, “partisan bully tactics” won’t work on funding legislation.
