Senate Prepared to Pass Bill to Prevent Shutdown If House Approves

On Wednesday afternoon, the House is slated to vote on a bill designed to avert a government shutdown scheduled for the end of the month. The proposed short-term measure aims to keep government operations funded through December 20.

House leaders are optimistic that the bill will garner the necessary two-thirds majority for passage under a suspension of the rules, largely supported by Democratic assistance. This decision follows the failure of Speaker Mike Johnson’s previous funding initiative that sought to include the SAVE Act—a measure mandating proof of citizenship to vote—last week, which faced opposition from Democrats and some Republican members.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries expressed his support for the funding measure but highlighted that it has been Democrats who have consistently aided Republicans in avoiding shutdowns during this Congress. He urged the public to consider what accomplishments “extreme MAGA Republicans” have achieved, stating, “Can anyone name a single thing that extreme MAGA Republicans in the House have been able to do on their own to make life better for the American people? Zip, zero.” Jeffries emphasized that this record would be presented to voters.

Former President Donald Trump has called for congressional Republicans to allow for a government shutdown to advance the SAVE Act. In his statements to ABC News, Johnson clarified that he is not ignoring Trump’s demand regarding the new strategy to prevent a shutdown. He acknowledged having spoken with Trump extensively and conveyed that the former president is quite frustrated about the ongoing situation, focusing significantly on election security concerns.

Johnson maintained that he and Trump share a common viewpoint regarding the current dilemma faced by House Republicans, asserting that “there’s no daylight between us.” However, the White House and Democratic leaders criticized Johnson’s approach of linking voter eligibility legislation to government funding, pointing out that it is already against the law for non-citizens to vote in federal elections.

The proposed clean short-term bill has received positive feedback from Democratic leaders and the Biden administration. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that the Senate would “immediately move” to approve the measure once it passes through the House. He indicated that if all proceeds smoothly, the Senate could send the bill to President Biden by the end of the day.

Schumer reassured the public, stating, “Americans can breathe easy that because both sides have chosen bipartisanship, Congress is getting the job done.” He emphasized the importance of keeping the government operational to prevent vital services from halting unnecessarily. Additionally, he mentioned that this legislation would afford appropriators more time to ensure the government is fully funded before the year’s end.

Beyond merely preventing a shutdown, the bill provides funding to replenish FEMA and allocates $231 million for the U.S. Secret Service, responding to recent assassination attempts against Trump.

On Tuesday, the White House Office of Management and Budget advocated for a “swift passage of this bill in both chambers to avoid a costly, unnecessary government shutdown.”

In summary, as the deadline approaches, legislators are working collaboratively to secure necessary funding and address pressing concerns while navigating the complexities of party allegiance and public expectations.

Source: ABC News