Speaker Johnson takes another crack at spending bill linked to proof of citizenship for new voters
WASHINGTON — The House of Representatives is expected to vote Wednesday on Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal to tie federal government funding for the new budget year to a mandate that states require proof of citizenship when people register to vote.
Janssen picked up the bill last week and said he would spend the weekend working to build consensus within Republican ranks. It’s unclear whether he’s been able to do that, given concerns among some GOP members about continuing current spending levels, but Johnson said he’s determined to hold a vote regardless. Democrats, meanwhile, overwhelmingly oppose the measure.
Requiring new voters to provide proof of citizenship has become a major priority for Republicans this election year as they raise the specter of non-citizens voting in the U.S., even though it is already illegal and studies have shown such voting is prohibited. rare.
“I call on all my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of people in this country rightly demand and deserve: prevent non-US citizens from voting in US elections,” Johnson said Tuesday.
Johnson told reporters he was not prepared to discuss an alternative plan to keep the government funded, other than what will be discussed in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
“I don’t have any alternative conversations. That’s the piece. It’s an important piece. And I’m going to work around the clock to get it done,” Johnson said.
House members also said Johnson did not discuss alternatives with them in case the bill was defeated.
“There is no plan B,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican of Florida.
Lawmakers are far from finished with work on the 12 annual budget bills that will fund agencies in the coming fiscal year. So they will need to pass a stopgap measure to avoid a partial shutdown when the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the only way to avoid a government shutdown was for both sides to work together on a deal. He said the House vote Johnson announced was doomed to fail.
“All we’re doing here is making it clear that he’s on a dead end,” Schumer said. “We need to have a bipartisan plan instead.”
The legislation would fund the agencies at current levels while lawmakers resolve their differences over a full-year spending deal.
Democrats and some Republicans are pushing for a short extension. A temporary solution would allow the current Congress to hammer out a final bill after the election and send it to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.
But Johnson and some of the more conservative members of his conference are pushing for a six-month extension in the hopes that Republican candidate Donald Trump will win the election and give them more leverage in crafting the bill for a full year.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment on how long the funding should be extended, saying Schumer and Johnson would ultimately have to work out a final deal that could be approved by both chambers.
“The one thing you can’t have is a government shutdown. It would be more than politically stupid to do that right before the election, because we would definitely get blamed,” McConnell said.
On Sunday, Johnson traveled to Florida to meet with Trump, who previously appeared to encourage a government shutdown if Republicans “cannot get assurances about the security of the election.” Trump said on the social media platform Truth Social that they should not proceed with a relief bill without such assurances.
The House of Representatives has passed a bill requiring proof of citizenship back in julySome Republicans who see the issue as popular with their voters have pushed for another chance to show their support for the measure.