Additional Coverage:
- Government shutdown threat looms over Congress’ return (newsbreak.com)
Washington — Lawmakers are set to return to Capitol Hill on Monday after a long August recess, just three weeks before a potential government shutdown. They face an October 1 deadline to secure government funding before Election Day, raising the likelihood of needing a stopgap measure to maintain funding temporarily and address full-year funding later.
House Republicans started their spending negotiations last week, proposing a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 28. This resolution includes a controversial bill requiring proof of citizenship to vote, which Democrats largely oppose. Speaker Mike Johnson discussed this plan with House Republicans in a recent call and revealed the bill’s text on Friday, as per a source familiar with the call.
The proposed addition of the SAVE Act, which aims to prevent illegal voting by requiring citizenship proof for federal election voter registration, reflects the demands of the House Freedom Caucus. Republicans have recently emphasized this issue, even though federal law currently restricts voting to U.S. citizens.
Johnson described the move as a crucial step for both funding the government and securing federal elections, emphasizing the responsibility to ensure only American citizens vote. The House may vote on the measure as early as Wednesday, but its success is uncertain even within the House.
Although five Democrats joined Republicans to pass the voting measure in July, incorporating it into a funding bill is expected to face broader Democratic opposition. The White House opposes this strategy, asserting it embodies Republican brinksmanship and would complicate voter registration rather than safeguard elections. President Biden has indicated a likely veto if the bill reaches his desk, according to the Office of Management and Budget.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the voting bill attachment “unserious and unacceptable.” Similarly, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democratic appropriator in the Senate, stressed the need for bipartisanship to avoid a shutdown, criticizing the GOP’s initial proposal.
Schumer and Murray warned that if Johnson leads House Republicans down this partisan route, the likelihood of a shutdown increases, putting the blame squarely on Republicans. House Democrat Rosa DeLauro echoed this criticism, accusing House Republicans of steering the appropriations process toward partisanship and neglecting to collaborate with Democrats.
DeLauro advocated for a stopgap measure through December rather than March, suggesting it would better serve Americans. She blamed extreme Republican members for the current predicament and expressed hope that the majority party would avoid a shutdown.
While a temporary resolution to prevent a shutdown is expected, the duration remains undecided. Johnson indicated to Republicans that he opposes the usual pre-holiday omnibus bill, often used to extend funding.
Delaying the funding deadline to the new year could benefit Republicans if they gain control of the White House or Senate. This strategy considers the potential return of Donald Trump to the presidency, providing Republicans more leverage in future funding negotiations. However, it also risks triggering a challenging spending conflict early in the next administration.
This funding debate follows a previous fiscal standoff that contributed to the unprecedented ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy last year, raising the stakes further for current negotiations.
Republicans’ unity is uncertain as backlash has emerged against Johnson’s plan. Rep.
Matt Rosendale of Montana criticized it as a symbolic move that doesn’t improve the chances of passing a short-term funding measure or reducing the deficit. Rosendale emphasized he was sent to Washington for substantive action, not superficial messaging bills.
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- Government shutdown threat looms over Congress’ return (newsbreak.com)