Johnson arranges dismal vote on financial strategy financing, followed by transitioning to ensuing phase
Johnson was compelled to pull the bill – containing a questionable provision aimed at non-resident voting – off the assembly floor last week due to substantial opposition inside his party. However, the speaker has been bombarded by conservatives and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump to tackle election security, as Trump persists in casting doubts on election fairness in the lead-up to the 2024 elections.
The intention to present the bill on the assembly floor this week is to underscore its impending failure, as per two GOP assistants. This move would then pave the way for the speaker to shift to plan B, although the specifics of this are unclear. The government budget runs out at the end of the month.
Introducing the funding bill to the assembly only to watch it fail would expose the significant rifts within the House GOP conference, but Johnson once more encounters a major challenge as he endeavors to manage a slim majority as well as demands from Trump. The GOP presidential candidate has expressed that if Republicans don’t secure "unequivocal guarantees" on election security, they shouldn't approve a funding extension.
“Congress has an immediate responsibility to accomplish two things: responsibly fund the federal government and ensure the integrity of our elections,” Johnson stated on Tuesday, announcing the planned vote.
“I urge all of my colleagues to do what the vast majority of the people of this country rightfully expect and deserve – prevent non-citizens from voting in American elections.”
Besides GOP objection to the strategy, the six-month funding bill with the voting provision connected is considered a non-starter in the Senate.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated on Tuesday regarding the speaker’s plan to hold a vote on the GOP funding proposal, “the only thing that will accomplish is make apparent that he’s hitting a dead end. We must have a bipartisan plan instead.”
If Trump stands firm on his demand, this could make it even more difficult for Congress to ultimately pass a "clean" funding extension, which is generally viewed on Capitol Hill as the sole viable option to avert a shutdown.
Johnson has expressed agreement with Trump on government funding, telling CNN’s Jake Tapper last week, “I believe President Trump is stating exactly what I have been stating, and that is we require assurances on election security and to fund the government.”
The six-month funding plan from House Republicans would extend government funding until March 2025. The proposal includes the SAVE Act, a GOP-led bill that was previously approved by the House on a standalone basis in July and would necessitate documentary proof of US citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, despite the fact that it is already unlawful for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.
GOP Rep. Thomas Massie expressed his dissent in response to the vote announcement, saying on X, “Speaker Johnson is pretending to fight by attaching a shiny object (that he will subsequently abandon) to a bill that sustains our path of wasteful spending. I will not be a party to this deceptive charade. I’m a hard no.”
CNN’s Annie Grayer contributed to this report.
The ongoing debate about election security in politics has led to pressures on Johnson to address these concerns, with Donald Trump urging him to take action. Despite Johnson's agreement with Trump on the need for election security assurances, the proposed funding bill, which includes a provision for the SAVE Act, faces substantial opposition due to its contentious voting provision.
