House to Vote on 3-Month Funding Extension to Prevent Shutdown

Washington — The House of Representatives plans to vote on a temporary funding bill on Wednesday, aimed at keeping government operations running for another three months. This decision comes after Speaker Mike Johnson endorsed a straightforward stopgap measure that will require cross-party support to pass.

A week ago, Johnson’s initial proposal was dismissed by the House, which aimed to fund the government for roughly six months but encountered resistance due to an attached measure on noncitizen voting. This proposal was immediately rejected by Democrats. Facing this setback, largely due to dissent within his own party, Johnson opted to pursue a clean funding extension until December 20 to prevent a pre-election shutdown.

On Monday, Johnson faced another hurdle as the stopgap measure failed to garner sufficient votes in the House Rules Committee. This complication forced House leaders to reconsider; they decided to bring the funding bill for a floor vote, but under a suspension of the rules, a process requiring a two-thirds majority for passage.

While addressing the press on Tuesday, Johnson expressed optimism, indicating he expects the continuing resolution to pass easily. However, he was candid about the situation: “The best play under the circumstances was the CR with the SAVE Act,” he remarked, referencing the abandoned voting measure.

He described the legislation as a “narrow, bare bones” temporary solution, acknowledging the general reluctance towards continuing resolutions within Congress. Yet, he stated, “it would be political malpractice to shut the government down.”

The upcoming vote on the stopgap funding plan is expected to attract more support from Democrats than from Republicans, given the conservative pushback against the resolution. Similar dynamics have emerged in previous funding negotiations, leaving House Republican leaders in a precarious situation with their party’s membership.

House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar noted on Tuesday that Johnson’s decision to proceed indicates confidence in garnering sufficient Republican support to pass the bill. He added that Democrats are ready to collaborate in a bipartisan effort to ensure passage.

Following the vote on government funding, the House will enter a lengthy recess, not reconvening until after the November 5 elections. When they return, they will face a looming deadline to secure funding and avoid another shutdown, particularly with the holiday season approaching. House Republicans have expressed trepidation over navigating this potential crisis.

Johnson reaffirmed his disdain for omnibus funding packages commonly adopted around the holidays, stating, “I have no intention of going back to that terrible tradition.” He indicated he would prefer striving for approval of twelve comprehensive spending bills after the elections.

The Senate will also have to act swiftly to prevent a shutdown as the deadline looms on October 1, contingent upon the House bill’s passage. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has urged the House to approve the continuing resolution without delay, emphasizing that “time is of the essence.”

Subsequently, the Senate has agreed to allocate time for a two-hour debate on the stopgap measure once it is received from the House, expediting its path toward approval and aligning with senators’ travel arrangements.