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Jimmy Williams
The House of Representatives is set to vote this week on a three-month stopgap funding bill, which would keep the federal government open until Dec. 20, preventing a looming government shutdown that could occur without congressional action by the end of September. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) announced the proposal on Sunday, seeking to avoid a potential shutdown just weeks before the upcoming presidential election.
In a letter to colleagues, Johnson emphasized that the legislation would be a “narrow, bare-bones” continuing resolution (CR), which includes only necessary extensions to maintain government operations. “While this is not the solution any of us prefer, it is the most prudent path forward under the present circumstances,” Johnson wrote. He also pointed out the political risks of a shutdown, stating, “Shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice.”
The government faces a shutdown at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1 if a CR is not passed by Congress. Johnson’s proposed measure aims to provide additional time for Congress to complete full-year funding negotiations. His bill excludes the controversial SAVE Act, a voting rights measure that previously derailed his efforts to pass a six-month CR last week.
The bill also includes $231 million in additional funding for the Secret Service to support protective operations related to the 2024 presidential campaign and other National Special Security Events.
The House Rules Committee will review the CR on Monday, and the bill is expected to be considered on the House floor by Wednesday, according to House Republican leadership aides.
Bipartisan Support and Criticism
While the White House expressed support for the proposed stopgap measure, urging “swift passage” of the bill to keep the government open, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) criticized Johnson’s handling of the situation. Schumer highlighted the time wasted due to Johnson’s earlier efforts to link government funding to the SAVE Act, calling it “MAGA” posturing.
“While I am pleased bipartisan negotiations quickly led to a government funding agreement free of cuts and poison pills, this same agreement could have been done two weeks ago,” Schumer said in a statement.
Despite his frustrations with the delay, Schumer expressed optimism on Sunday that a shutdown would be averted. “There’s a really good chance we can avoid the government shutdown with all the pain it would cause for New York and America this week,” he told reporters.
Political Tensions and Trump’s Influence
Johnson’s proposal follows weeks of tense negotiations and internal divisions within the House Republican caucus. Former President Donald Trump had previously called on Republicans to shut down the government unless the CR included the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote. Trump doubled down on his demands earlier this month, stating on Truth Social, “If Republicans don’t get absolute assurances on Election Security… CLOSE IT DOWN!!!”
However, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has been outspoken against a government shutdown, warning of the political consequences for Republicans ahead of the election. “It would be politically beyond stupid for us to do that right before the election because certainly we get the blame,” McConnell said last week.
Johnson’s struggle to unite his caucus around a spending plan became clear last week when the House rejected a six-month CR tied to the SAVE Act. With the vote looming this week, Johnson is hoping to gather enough bipartisan support to avoid a shutdown and keep government operations running until December.
If passed, the stopgap measure will buy Congress time to negotiate full-year funding agreements before the end of the year, allowing lawmakers to revisit the contentious issues of government spending after the election.
