In Washington, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., reaffirmed his commitment on Tuesday to advance his government funding proposal to the House floor despite significant pushback from within his party. This move comes as he seeks to prevent a government shutdown at the end of the month, although his plan is expected to falter and potentially embarrass House Republicans. With a slim majority, the party can tolerate only a few defections, but many Republicans have openly opposed the current approach.
Former President Donald Trump has urged Johnson and Republican lawmakers to consider a government shutdown if their funding bill does not incorporate the SAVE Act, which aims to revise voting laws by mandating proof of citizenship for voter registration. Trump expressed his stance on social media, insisting that without guarantees on election security, Republicans should not proceed with the budget resolution and should instead shut down the government.
Johnson appears to be aligning with Trump’s strategy, although his proposal is unlikely to succeed in the Democrat-controlled Senate and faces opposition from the White House. Many Democrats and some moderate Republicans favor a straightforward continuing resolution (CR) to maintain government operations through December.
After a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, Johnson did not clarify if he would follow Trump’s directive to shut down the government over voting legislation but defended his approach of combining the six-month CR funded through March with the SAVE Act. “I am in this to win this,” Johnson remarked during a news conference, asserting that he believes a vast majority of Americans support his objectives.
A preliminary test of support occurred Tuesday afternoon when Republicans approved the rule regarding debate on the measure, with only two Republicans opposing it alongside Democrats. However, several GOP members have signaled they plan to vote against the main bill on Wednesday.
Johnson’s leadership must now address dissent within the ranks, as the party can only accommodate four Republican defections. At least half a dozen Republicans, including Jim Banks, Cory Mills, Tim Burchett, Andy Biggs, and Matt Rosendale, have indicated their opposition.
Mills has criticized the pairing of the SAVE Act with the CR, arguing it does not adequately address southern border security or fiscal discipline. After the morning meeting, Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., stated that there was little change in opinions among members, but he supported Johnson’s strategy, advocating for an early 2025 funding extension to avoid a last-minute legislative package filled with unnecessary provisions.
Some Senate Republicans are cautious about provoking a government shutdown, especially in an election year. Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C., remarked that shutdowns tend to have negative consequences for Republicans, while Senator Bill Cassidy, R-La., expressed his preference for a clean start with the new Congress instead of extending stopgap funding into the next year.