House Speaker Johnson to Hold Wednesday Vote on Short-Term Funding, SAVE Act

On September 17, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, announced plans to combine a short-term funding proposal with the SAVE Act in a vote scheduled for Wednesday. This move aims to avert a federal government shutdown at the end of the month.

The funding measure will provide six months of federal government financing, while the SAVE Act seeks to enhance the security of U.S. elections. It proposes that documentary proof of citizenship be required for voters, even though U.S. law already mandates citizenship for voting.

In a prepared statement, Johnson emphasized the dual responsibility Congress has: to fund the government responsibly and to safeguard election integrity. He noted that a vast majority of U.S. citizens demand measures to prevent non-citizens from participating in elections and expressed his commitment to advance both bills together on Wednesday.

According to the SAVE Act, states would be obligated to verify proof of citizenship prior to registering individuals to vote. Furthermore, the act imposes penalties, including jail time, for election officials who allow non-citizens to register.

This legislation also targets past occurrences of illegal voting, such as instances in Washington state where non-citizens were registered while obtaining driver’s licenses or state issued identification cards without confirming their citizenship status.

Critics of the SAVE Act, which was introduced by right-wing Republican Representative Chip Roy from Texas, argue that it creates unnecessary barriers to voting. They warn that such measures could have detrimental effects on disenfranchised voters who may struggle to obtain the required documentation. There are also concerns that this law might be weaponized to dispute the outcomes of the upcoming 2024 presidential election if former President Donald Trump is not victorious.

President Joe Biden has indicated a willingness to veto the legislation if it reaches his desk. Johnson’s proposal to bundle the continuing resolution with the SAVE Act comes after an earlier attempt at advancing these measures was stalled last week. This delay was influenced by opposition from certain GOP members of the House and both House and Senate Democrats.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, stated that these measures would face significant hurdles and would be considered “dead on arrival” if presented in their current form. He affirmed that the Senate would need to pursue its own temporary funding bill to avoid government shutdown up to the general election on November 5.

Several Republican senators expressed their willingness to collaborate with Senate Democrats to devise a funding solution that would prevent a shutdown. Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, voiced his frustration over the current situation, describing it as a “mess.” He noted the implications of stalled funding on military operations, stressing that even if a continuing resolution is passed, military funding would fall short of its regular allocations.

Schumer has set a deadline for Johnson to address the legislative standoff by Thursday, after which the Senate will initiate its funding bill process. Within the House, ten Republican representatives, alongside nearly all House Democrats, have voiced their opposition to the proposed measures.

Republicans in precarious electoral positions are concerned that advancing the SAVE Act could threaten their re-election efforts. Furthermore, there is a general opposition among party members to short-term funding options due to their perceived impact on national defense.

The complexities of the current funding negotiation reflect broader tensions within Congress and the implications they hold for governance in the coming months.

Source: UPI