Johnson's financial backing initiative at risk of collapse due to resistance from Republican party members
The House is slated to vote on a six-month funding bill on Wednesday, containing a contentious provision aimed at preventing noncitizen voting. However, at least seven House Republicans have expressed their disapproval of the funding bill, which, along with Democratic opposition, could render it obsolete in the House and make it a non-starter in the Democratic-held Senate. The White House has also indicated that the president would veto the measure.
If the GOP's spending plan fails to pass the House, it would be a source of humiliation for House Republicans, further revealing internal strife and setting them rushing to strategize as a shutdown deadline nears at the end of the month.
The GOP's six-month spending plan, which cleared its first procedural hurdle on Tuesday, aims to sustain government funding until March 2025. The proposal incorporates the SAVE Act, a GOP-proposed bill that was previously approved in the House in July, requiring tangible evidence of US citizenship for voter registration in federal elections - an act already deemed unlawful for noncitizens in federal elections.
The push for the SAVE Act emerges as Trump and his allies perpetuate concerns about election integrity in anticipation of the 2024 elections.
In a potentially complicating turn for Republicans, Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday, "If Republicans in the House, and Senate, don’t receive guarantees on Election Security, THEY SHOULD NOT, IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, PROCEED WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET."
Johnson concurred with Trump's stance on government funding, telling CNN's Jake Tapper on "The Lead" Tuesday, "I think President Trump is echoing exactly what I have been saying, and that is we need assurances on election security and funding the government."
Johnson has been attempting to save the temporary spending plan in the face of GOP backlash but did not rule out passing a "clean" bill to maintain government operations when pressed by CNN's Manu Raju earlier Tuesday.
"I am here to win," the speaker said. "I'm not going to engage in speculation and, you know, try to calculate all possible outcomes."
Johnson's determination to push forward with the plan stems from growing discontent among the right-wing faction of his conference, who predict that the SAVE Act would likely be jettisoned once the Senate dismisses the measure, even if the funding bill manages to pass the House.
Johnson so far has not revealed an alternative strategy. Many House conservatives also advocate for longer-term spending cuts rather than temporary funding bills.
Johnson remained steadfast earlier Tuesday that House Republicans are "moving ahead with the legislation" despite opposition from within his own conference and acknowledged, "I've got a few more colleagues to talk to. We'll be doing that today."
He remarked that the conference held a "good meeting" on Tuesday morning with "engaging debate."
The politics surrounding the GOP's spending plan are becoming increasingly complex, with at least seven House Republicans expressing disapproval of the bill due to its contentious provision. The push for the SAVE Act, which requires tangible evidence of US citizenship for voter registration, is causing internal strife within the GOP, with Trump and some Republicans insisting on election security guarantees before proceeding with the budget.
