House unveils three-month stopgap funding bill
House Republicans on Sunday unveiled a three-month stopgap spending bill — with plans to vote on the measure on Wednesday as the clock ticks down to a Sept. 30 deadline avert a government shutdown.
Why it matters: Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was forced to shift gears to a more-bipartisan plan after the failure of his initial proposal — a six-month stopgap that included a crackdown on non-citizen voting that President Trump is pushing.
- The new bill would keep the government funded until Dec. 20, punting longer term spending decisions until after the Nov. 5 election.
- In addition to keeping the government funded at current levels, it would replenish funds for FEMA and add monies for the Secret Service — under the condition it cooperates with a congressional task force investigating the assassination attempts against Trump.
The big picture: The bill will need bipartisan support because a handful of Republicans are expected to vote against it.
- “Since we fell a bit short of the goal line, an alternative plan is now required,” Johnson wrote Sunday in a dear colleague letter.
- “Our legislation will be a very narrow, bare-bones CR including only the extensions that are absolutely necessary,” he continued.
Between the lines: Trump has argued publicly for a shutdown if voter ID language is not included in a short-term funding bill.
- Still, Johnson told reporters Friday: “”I’m not going to divulge our private conversations, but he understands our situation very well.”
The bottom line: With the Senate threatening to move first, Johnson had little choice but to seek action on a clean, three-month plan.
- Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was ousted from his leadership role for introducing a similar measure last year, but Johnson isn’t currently facing similar threats.
- While some conservatives have voiced opposition to any short-term funding bill, the majority of Republicans are more concerned with avoiding a government shutdown five weeks before the Election Day.
