US House Set to Vote on Mike Johnson’s Controversial Funding Bill

The House is set to vote on a government funding package on Wednesday, but it appears unlikely to succeed in the currently divided Congress. Both Democrats and a notable number of Republicans have expressed concerns about the dual proposal.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has merged a six-month stopgap funding bill with the contentious Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (Save) Act. This act mandates that individuals must show proof of citizenship to register to vote, stirring significant debate.

Further complicating Johnson’s efforts, former President Donald Trump issued a statement insisting that Republicans should not approve any government funding bill without addressing “election security.” Trump has made unsubstantiated claims that Democrats are attempting to manipulate voter registrations by including illegal aliens.

The proposed bill aims to extend government funding until March 28, which is more than two months after the inauguration of the new president in January. If Congress fails to finalize federal funding this month, a government shutdown could begin on October 1.

“I believe we can fund the government responsibly, and I believe that we can do right by the American people and ensure the security of our elections,” Johnson stated. “And I defy anybody to give me any logical argument why we shouldn’t do that. That’s why I’m so resolute about this.”

Despite widespread concern over a government shutdown occurring just before the elections on November 5, both Democrats and a faction of Republicans have pushed back against Johnson’s plan. Democrats mainly oppose the Save Act, which Republicans argue is necessary to keep noncitizens from voting. Critics assert that noncitizen voting is already illegal and warn that the policy risks disenfranchising legitimate voters. Although the House passed the Save Act in July, Senate Democrats have shown little interest in advancing the legislation.

In a letter to his colleagues, House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Johnson’s proposal as “unserious and unacceptable.” He urged Congress to support a stopgap bill, or continuing resolution, to keep the government funded past election day, allowing lawmakers to finalize a full-year spending package before the new year.

“To avert a GOP-driven government shutdown that will hurt everyday Americans, Congress must pass a short-term continuing resolution that will allow us to complete the appropriations process this calendar year, free of partisan policy changes inspired by Trump’s Project 2025,” Jeffries emphasized. “There is no other viable path forward that protects the health, safety, and economic wellbeing of hardworking American taxpayers.”

Johnson’s proposal seems to be facing resistance even among his fellow Republicans. At least six Republicans have voiced their opposition, arguing that the bill does not sufficiently address government spending cuts. Congressman Thomas Massie from Kentucky, who has frequently clashed with Johnson, labeled the proposal as “an insult to Americans’ intelligence.”

“The [continuing resolution] doesn’t cut spending, and the shiny object attached to it will be dropped like a hot potato before passage,” Massie stated, indicating doubts about its effectiveness.

Additionally, Johnson has faced criticism from Congressman Mike Rogers, the Republican chair of the House Armed Services Committee. Rogers has raised concerns over how the stopgap measure could impact military readiness. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has highlighted passing a full-year budget for the Pentagon as “the single most important thing that Congress can do to ensure U.S. national security.”

Given the slim majority, Johnson can only tolerate four defections within his party, assuming full Democratic opposition and participation in the vote. Even if he succeeds in getting his bill approved, it has slim prospects in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

In a contrasting message, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that Democrats would only support a clean funding bill without “poison pills” attached. “As I have said before, the only way to get things done is in a bipartisan way,” Schumer noted. “Despite Republican bluster, that is how we’ve handled every funding bill in the past, and this time should be no exception. We will not let poison pills or Republican extremism put funding for critical programs at risk.”

Trump’s demands could put Johnson in a difficult position, heightening the risk of a government shutdown occurring just weeks before the elections. Trump stated on his social media platform, “If Republicans in the House and Senate 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.”