House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has unveiled a plan to prevent a partial government shutdown at the end of September. The strategy involves attaching a short-term extension of this fiscal year’s federal funding levels, known as a continuing resolution (CR), to a Republican-backed bill called the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. This measure would require proof of citizenship for voter registration in an effort to address GOP concerns about non-citizens participating in U.S. elections.
The bill, if passed, would postpone the federal funding debate until March, when a new administration and Congress will take over. During a lawmaker-only phone call on Wednesday, Johnson outlined his plan to hold a vote on the measure as soon as possible, likely next week, according to two sources familiar with the call.
While the SAVE Act garnered bipartisan support in the House during its initial passage in July (with five Democrats voting in favor), it faces strong opposition from Democratic leaders who deem it unnecessary and potentially harmful. They argue that it’s already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections.
Republican leaders initially favored a short-term funding extension until December, hoping to avoid a congested legislative calendar in the new year. However, Johnson believes his plan holds merit, arguing that a December CR would likely necessitate another extension into the new year anyway.
Several Republicans voiced concerns during the call. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., expressed her dissatisfaction with the absence of measures addressing the border crisis, specifically advocating for the inclusion of the Laken Riley Act in the CR. This act aims to detain and deport migrants who commit illegal acts, named after a college student allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant.
Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., questioned Johnson about the potential consequences of the Senate sending back a “clean” short-term spending bill without any attachments. He warned that a partial government shutdown could jeopardize the seats of the House’s ten most vulnerable Republican incumbents. Johnson, however, maintained that their plan was worth fighting for and that the GOP should not back down.
Despite its backing by former President Donald Trump, who urged House Republicans to leverage a shutdown to secure a March CR along with the SAVE Act, the plan faces an uphill battle. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., dismissed the proposal, stating that bipartisan efforts are the only way to achieve progress and that this has been the case in past CR negotiations.
While the bill needs a simple majority to pass in the House, Johnson’s slim majority makes it a challenging task. The plan has already encountered opposition from Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who is retiring at the end of the year. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, is spearheading support for Johnson’s plan, drawing encouragement from Schumer’s comments regarding the SAVE Act’s bipartisan support in the House.
