House Defeats Speaker Johnson’s Government Funding Plan Amid GOP Division

Featured & Cover  House Defeats Speaker Johnson’s Government Funding Plan Amid GOP Division

On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted against Speaker Mike Johnson’s government funding proposal, with 14 Republicans opposing the measure and two others abstaining. The bill was defeated with a final count of 202 votes in favor, 222 against, and 2 members voting present. Surprisingly, three Democrats voted in favor of the bill, crossing party lines.

After the vote, Speaker Johnson expressed disappointment but remained optimistic about finding a solution to prevent a government shutdown. “We ran the play. It was the best play; it was the right one. So now we go back to the playbook. We’ll draw up another play, and we’ll come up with a solution,” Johnson stated. He added that he was already in discussions with his colleagues to gather ideas. Despite the setback, Johnson indicated there was still time to avert a shutdown, and his team would act quickly, concluding his remarks by saying, “Stay posted.”

The proposal, which Johnson had put forth, would have funded the government for six months. However, it also included the SAVE Act, a piece of legislation that has the support of Republican leadership and former President Donald Trump. The SAVE Act requires individuals to show proof of U.S. citizenship in order to vote. This component of the bill faced strong opposition from Democrats, who argue that it is redundant, as non-citizens are already prohibited from voting in federal elections. According to Democrats, the inclusion of such a measure made the bill unacceptable.

The timing of the vote was crucial, as the government needs to pass a funding measure by October 1st to avoid a shutdown. Johnson initially intended to push the bill through the House the previous week but was forced to pull it from the floor due to insufficient support. His fellow Republicans were divided on the measure for different reasons. Some believed it would exacerbate the national deficit, while defense-focused Republicans were concerned that the six-month extension would negatively impact the Department of Defense’s operational readiness.

Despite these concerns, Johnson was determined to pass the bill. However, when asked about his next course of action, he declined to provide specific details on what his plan would be going forward.

Meanwhile, former President Trump made his stance clear, strongly advocating for the government to shut down if the SAVE Act was not passed. Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to urge Republicans to demand guarantees on election security. He warned that without such guarantees, Republicans should not approve a continuing resolution to keep the government running. “If they don’t get absolute assurances on Election Security, THEY SHOULD, IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, GO FORWARD WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET,” Trump wrote.

Johnson was asked about Trump’s comments and whether Republicans should let funding lapse under such circumstances. Johnson responded by emphasizing the importance of election security. “No, look, President Trump and I have talked a lot about this. We talked a lot about it with our colleagues who are building consensus on the plan. We all believe that election security is of preeminent importance right now.”

Just hours before the vote, Trump reiterated his position, calling for a government shutdown if the SAVE Act was not fully included in any funding bill. His call for a hardline stance on the SAVE Act placed added pressure on Republicans ahead of the vote.

However, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, the leading Republican in the Senate, voiced a different perspective. McConnell strongly opposed the idea of a government shutdown, especially with just seven weeks remaining until Election Day. He described a potential shutdown as a politically catastrophic move for Republicans. “I think we first have to wait and see what the House sends us. My only observation about this whole discussion is the one thing you cannot have is a government shutdown,” McConnell stated. “It’d be politically beyond stupid for us to do that right before the election, because certainly we’d get the blame.”

On the other side of the aisle, Democrats urged Speaker Johnson to drop his current funding plan and introduce a clean, short-term funding bill to keep the government operational. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries emphasized that the only viable path forward was a bipartisan agreement that excluded controversial measures like the SAVE Act. Jeffries had been clear about his opposition to what he considered “extreme” provisions in the bill.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also spoke out on the issue, calling on the House to focus on passing a bill with broad support. Schumer criticized the House for wasting time on proposals that lacked bipartisan backing and warned that such delays could lead to a government shutdown. “In order to avoid a shutdown, the worst thing our colleagues in the House can do right now is waste time on proposals that don’t have broad bipartisan support,” Schumer remarked on Monday.

As the October 1 deadline looms, the pressure is mounting on lawmakers to come to an agreement that will keep the government open and functioning. While Johnson remains determined to find a path forward, the deep divisions within the Republican Party, particularly over issues like election security, complicate his efforts. With Trump pushing for a harder stance and McConnell warning of political fallout, it remains to be seen whether a compromise can be reached in time.

As negotiations continue, both parties are acutely aware of the political stakes. A government shutdown just weeks before Election Day could have significant repercussions for both Republicans and Democrats, making the outcome of these discussions critical for the future of government operations and the upcoming election.

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