Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday the House will vote this week on a three-month suspension funding bill that would keep the federal government open until Dec. 20.
If the measure goes into effect, the government will avoid a shutdown that would have started early next month without congressional action.
In a letter to colleagues, Johnson, R-La., said, “The legislation would be a very narrow, bare-bones CR, including only absolutely necessary extensions.”
“While this is not a solution that any of us would like, it is the most sensible path under the current circumstances,” he continued. “As history has taught and the current poll confirms, shutting down the government within 40 days of a snap election is political malpractice.”
Congress has one week left to pass a short-term funding bill known as a continuing resolution, or CR, to avoid a government shutdown at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1. If the House passes the bill, it will go to the Senate.
No part of the SAVE Act, which Johnson promoted, requires proof of citizenship to register to vote. Johnson previously tried to attach the legislation to a six-month continuing resolution, but the House rejected the plan last week.
Bill Includes an additional $231 million for the Secret Service “for activities necessary to conduct security operations, including the 2024 presidential campaign and national special security events.” The Secret Service requires the director to present a spending plan to the House and Senate appropriations committees.
The Rules Committee is scheduled to review the CR at its Monday afternoon meeting. The bill will be considered on the House floor on Wednesday, according to a top House Republican aide.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for the White House Office of Management and Budget said the administration “urges swift passage” of the bipartisan measure.
“This short-term CR will keep the government open, give Congress more time to complete full-year funding bills for our national security, veterans, veterans, children and working families, and address the urgent needs of the American people, including communities recovering from disasters,” the speaker said. continued.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a statement that while he was “pleased” with the outcome of the bipartisan talks, he was critical of Johnson’s handling of the situation.
“I’m pleased that bipartisan negotiations quickly led to a government funding deal without cuts and a poison pill, the same deal that could have been made two weeks ago,” Schumer said in a statement. “Instead, Speaker Johnson chose to follow the MAGA route and wasted precious time.”
Earlier Sunday, Schumer told reporters there was a “really good chance” the government would not shut down at the end of the month.
“We have some good news right now: New York and America have a good chance to avoid a government shutdown this week with all the pain,” Schumer said.
Last week, House Republicans voted down their own plan to avert a shutdown, dealing a humiliating blow to Johnson and crippling efforts to fund the government for six months. Debates about keeping the government open are tense now, much less with 50 days to go. Presidential election.
On Sunday, Schumer said he was “getting closer” to an agreement with Johnson.
“I’m ready to sit down, I’ve sat down with Speaker Johnson, his staff and my staff for the last four days and we’re getting closer to an agreement,” Schumer told reporters.
“We can do this, but we can’t have any delay,” he said, adding: “We can’t have both sides of the aisle, Democrats or Republicans, standing up and saying, ‘I’m going to shut down the government. We can’t do that.’ There is a much greater consequence for the American people.
Schumer’s comments come after Johnson called Johnson’s previous strategy, which included passing both CR and the SAVE Act, “unworkable” and encouraged him to abandon it in a speech on stage last Tuesday.
In recent weeks, Johnson has struggled to get his caucus to reach a consensus after former President Donald Trump urged Republicans to shut down the government if they can’t combine a voting-related bill with the SAVE Act. and elections.
“If Republicans in the House and Senate don’t get full assurances on election security, they need to move forward with a continuing resolution on the budget in no way, shape, or form. … SHUT IT UP!!!” Trump wrote earlier this month on his social media site, Truth Social.
Last week, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., slammed the idea of a government shutdown, especially so close to an election.
“It’s beyond politically stupid to do it before an election, because of course we’re going to get the blame,” McConnell said: “We’ve been here before. I’m all for anything that avoids a government shutdown, and it’s ultimately between the Democratic president and the Speaker of the House about how to implement avoiding a government shutdown. Will end up being a debate.
