The temporary spending bill proposed by Speaker of the House Mike Johnson failed to gain bipartisan support in the United States House of Representatives. The $1.6 trillion temporary funding bill aimed to roughly maintain current government funding levels until March 28 of next year and required voters in each state to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
The next steps for federal government funding remain unclear as lawmakers have been unable to finalize over a dozen annual appropriations bills to provide funding for federal agencies in the next fiscal year. They urgently need to approve a temporary funding measure to prevent a partial government shutdown after October 1.
The final vote resulted in 220 votes against and 202 votes in favor, with 14 Republican members and nearly all Democratic members voting against, with only two Republican members voting “present.”
Following the vote, Johnson expressed disappointment and mentioned the possibility of implementing a Plan B to avoid a government shutdown, though he did not disclose details.
“We will come up with another plan,” Johnson said. “I have been discussing many ideas with my colleagues. We have time to resolve the issue, and we will act immediately. I am disappointed. I know it’s the right thing to do, and I believe the American people will hear the concerns of those who voted against it tonight.”
Last week, Johnson decided to postpone the bill’s consideration due to a lack of votes in favor. Throughout the weekend, he worked to persuade his colleagues to gain unanimous Republican support but was unable to overcome some members’ opposition.
Some Republican lawmakers believe the temporary spending bill should not maintain current spending levels. One of the Republican opponents, Representative Beth Van Duyne, expressed concerns about spending, stating it as one of the country’s biggest issues with a $36 trillion national debt and seeing the bill as continuing excessive spending.
Hardline conservatives oppose any temporary spending and insist Congress should pass over a dozen annual appropriations bills on time. Defense hawks argue that a six-month funding bill could impact the Pentagon.
Democrats are hoping to pass a shorter-term temporary spending measure to allow the current Congress to finalize a formal annual spending bill after the election and submit it to Democratic President Biden for signing.
However, some Republicans, including Johnson, are looking to enact a six-month temporary spending bill, with hopes of President Trump winning the presidency again to provide leverage when crafting the full-year appropriations bill.
Requiring voters to provide proof of citizenship has become a top priority for Republicans. Opponents argue that this requirement could disenfranchise some Americans who may not have ready access to birth certificates or passports when registering to vote at schools, churches, or other locations.
Johnson, however, stated that this is a serious issue as even allowing a small proportion of non-citizens to participate in voting could impact tightly contested election results. He pointed out the case of Iowa Republican Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks winning her seat by just six votes in 2020.
“This is a very, very serious matter, which is why we must do the right thing,” Johnson said before the vote. “We have a responsibility to fund the government responsibly, and we need to stop non-citizens from voting in elections.”
Democrats argue that the requirement for proof of citizenship should not be part of the government funding bill and urge Johnson to work with them to propose a measure that both parties in both houses could support.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated on Wednesday that he hopes Johnson would “instead take a practical and viable strategy: bipartisan cooperation.”
Schumer said, “Every time we face a funding deadline, this is the only way to keep the government running. It’s also the only effective way this time. Bipartisan cooperation in both houses. That’s the effective way, and that’s what we’re willing and happy to do.”
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell mentioned that Schumer and Johnson would ultimately need to reach a final agreement that both houses can pass.
He stated that allowing some government departments to shut down before the election would be “very politically stupid because we would surely be condemned.”