House Speaker Mike Johnson has revealed a strategy to prevent a government shutdown in a letter to his members. The plan, termed a limited continuing resolution, aims to fund the government until December 20 and allocate $230 million for Secret Service funding.
Johnson emphasized the importance of passing a clean, three-month CR to avoid a last-minute shutdown before the upcoming election. He expressed concerns that shutting down the government less than 40 days before the election would be detrimental.
The proposed legislation is designed to be a narrow, bare-bones CR, focusing solely on essential extensions. Johnson acknowledged that while this may not be the preferred solution for many, it is the most practical approach given the current circumstances.
Top Democrats in Congress, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, commended bipartisan negotiations that led to a funding agreement devoid of cuts and poison pills. They indicated a swift passage of the stopgap bill ahead of the deadline, emphasizing the need for continued bipartisan cooperation.
House Democrats are set to evaluate the spending legislation upon their return to Washington, with Jeffries praising the negotiated bill as free from partisan, right-wing policy changes.
Johnson's bill follows the House's failure to pass a six-month GOP government funding plan earlier in the week. The previous plan included a controversial measure targeting noncitizen voting, a move supported by former President Donald Trump.
Johnson clarified that House Republicans do not have the necessary votes to pass the SAVE Act, a GOP-led bill aimed at requiring documentary proof of US citizenship to register for federal elections. Despite Trump's call for a government shutdown if the voting measure is not passed, Johnson emphasized the need for a more pragmatic approach.
