Lawmakers are returning to Washington on Monday for a three-week sprint that will be headlined by the fight over government funding as this month’s shutdown deadline inches closer.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is poised to kick off the process this week by putting legislation on the floor that pairs a six-month continuing resolution (CR) with a bill to require proof of citizenship to register to vote — titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act — a strategy favored by former President Trump and hard-line conservatives. Democrats, however, have deemed the effort a non-starter, and some House Republicans are expressing skepticism about the gambit.
Those dynamics are setting the stage for a showdown over funding for fiscal 2025, a battle that will play out against the backdrop of the November elections. Congress faces a Sept. 30 shutdown deadline.
Also this week, House lawmakers will be on the lookout to see if any Republicans move to force a vote on articles of impeachment against President Biden, after GOP investigators published their impeachment inquiry report. The report did not uncover a smoking gun or recommend articles, but some conservatives are pushing for a vote.