WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, is determined to advance his government funding package to the House floor Wednesday, despite increasing resistance from within his own party.
Johnson’s plan, aimed at preventing a government shutdown at the end of the month, is anticipated to fail and may humiliate House Republicans due to their slim majority, which allows for only a few defections. Several Republican members have openly opposed the proposal.
Former President Donald Trump has urged Johnson and fellow Republicans to shut down the government unless they can tie the funding legislation to the SAVE Act, a bill designed to require proof of citizenship for voter registration.
On Tuesday, Trump posted on Truth Social, urging, “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. … CLOSE IT DOWN!!!”
Johnson is aligning with Trump’s directives, although the approach is unlikely to succeed in the Democratic-controlled Senate and faces a potential veto from the White House. Many Democrats, along with some Republicans, are advocating for a straightforward continuing resolution (CR) to maintain government operations until December, beyond the election.
In a press conference following a closed meeting with Republicans, Johnson did not confirm if he would align with Trump’s call for a government shutdown over the voting measures. Instead, he defended his proposed six-month CR to fund the government through March, which is linked to the SAVE Act.
“I am in this to win this,” Johnson said, asserting the importance of the principles he supports.
After the meeting, he affirmed, “We are going to put the SAVE Act and the CR together, and we’re going to move that through the process. I am resolved to that; we’re not looking at any other alternative. … I think almost 90% of the American people believe in that principle and that’s why we’re going to stand and fight.”
The initial test occurred on Tuesday afternoon when Republicans approved the rule guiding the debate and how the CR would be presented. Only two Republicans voted against the rule alongside all Democrats. However, more GOP members have expressed plans to vote against the main bill on Wednesday.
The path forward for Johnson and his leadership team remains uncertain as they work to align dissenting members. With a limit of just four Republican defections possible, at least six Republicans have committed to voting against the proposal.
Representative Cory Mills of Florida stated that passing the SAVE Act and a CR would not effectively address issues related to border security or government spending.
After the morning GOP meeting, Rep. Dan Meuser of Pennsylvania noted that no significant shifts in opinion were evident, though he supported Johnson’s strategy, suggesting that extending funding into early 2025 would prevent a last-minute package laden with excessive provisions before the holidays.
“Doing a CR into December gives us really no advantage, frankly, from a Republican standpoint, to bring any responsibility to a budget,” Meuser remarked. “We know that in December, if we were writing something, it would be more than a Christmas tree — it would be lots of gifts underneath it. So we’re gonna hold fast.”
Some Senate Republicans are wary of House members provoking a conflict that could lead to a government shutdown ahead of the upcoming election.
“Shutdowns always backfire on Republicans,” said Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina.
Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana expressed concerns about passing a temporary bill into the next year. “I’m always a big believer — let the new Congress start with a clean slate. So my bias would be to get it done now,” Cassidy remarked.