House Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to tie a short-term government funding bill to a Trump-backed proposal to change voting laws is in trouble as conservative Republicans threaten to vote against it. Without a stopgap funding bill, the government will shut down at the end of the month. Johnson can only afford four defections, but at least five Republicans have already said they won’t support the plan, while others are undecided.
The proposed bill includes a six-month continuing resolution and the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship to vote. The Democrats oppose this legislation, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has declared it dead on arrival in the Senate. President Joe Biden has also vowed to veto the package.
Republican lawmakers returning from their summer break are facing a tough battle over the funding bill, with Democrats pushing for a “clean CR” without any additional provisions attached. If the GOP plan fails in the House, Democrats may be able to avoid a government shutdown without having to vote it down. Rep. Jamie Raskin warned that Republicans would face consequences if they go through with a shutdown, calling it wasteful and destructive. Overall, the fate of the funding bill remains uncertain as lawmakers on both sides of the aisle navigate the situation.
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