House passes short-term funding plan to avert government shutdown
Washington — The House on Tuesday passed a two-step plan from Speaker Mike Johnson to fund federal agencies into the new year, sending the legislation to the Senate days before the approaching deadline to avert a government shutdown.
The short-term measure cleared the House in a 336 to 95 vote. Known as a continuing resolution, it received substantial support from House Democrats, who helped ensure its passage over the objections of dozens of Republicans. The bill is the first major piece of legislation the House has approved since Johnson became speaker.
The plan, which Johnson unveiled Saturday, extends federal funding at current levels for one group of agencies and programs through Jan. 19, and a second batch through Feb. 2. Johnson argued the extension will allow lawmakers to avoid a massive end-of-year spending bill while negotiations over spending levels continue.
Though more Democrats voted for the bill than Republicans, Johnson celebrated its passage, saying it puts the GOP "in the best position to fight for conservative policy victories."
"The innovative two-step approach takes Washington's preferred Christmas omnibus monstrosity off the table, shifts the government funding paradigm moving forward, and enhances our ability to rein in the Biden administration's failed policies and government spending," he said in a statement. "We also are better positioned in the upcoming supplemental debate to demand Border Security, ensure oversight of Ukraine aid, and support our cherished ally, Israel."
Avoiding a shutdown
The resolution's passage in the House all but eliminates the threat of a shutdown on Saturday, when most government funding expires. The Senate is expected to quickly approve the bill, which would allow President Biden to sign it into law before the deadline.
The House suspended its rules to pass the plan, raising the threshold for passage to two-thirds of the House. That meant Johnson, who was elected to lead the House just three weeks ago, had to rely on votes from dozens of Democratic lawmakers. Uncertainty about the bill's fate was cleared up just before the vote on its passage, when Democratic leaders said in a joint statement they support it.
"We have consistently made clear that a government shutdown would hurt the economy, our national security and everyday Americans during a very fragile time and must be avoided," they said. "To that end, House Democrats have repeatedly articulated that any continuing resolution must be set at the fiscal year 2023 spending level, be devoid of harmful cuts and free of extreme right-wing policy riders. The continuing resolution before the House today meets that criteria and we will support it."
What were the odds of passage? Who opposed the bill and who supported it?
On Tuesday morning, the House Freedom Caucus, a group of far-right Republican lawmakers, announced its opposition to the stopgap measure because it failed to include spending cuts or provisions to strengthen border security.
"Republicans must stop negotiating against ourselves over fears of what the Senate may do with the promise 'roll over today and we'll fight tomorrow,'" the group said in a statement.
But the lack of additional policy changes, especially those favored by conservative lawmakers, helped to secure greater support from House Democrats, who said they want to avoid a government shutdown and favored a "clean" continuing resolution.
"From the very beginning of this Congress, Democrats have made clear that we are going to find common ground with our Republican colleagues on any issue in good faith whenever and wherever possible, but that we will also push back against their extremism whenever necessary," Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters Tuesday. "That's been the framework approach that we've taken from the beginning. That'll be the lens through which we evaluate the continuing resolution today."
Jeffries said Democrats were concerned about the bifurcated deadlines in Johnson's plan, but said it's "extremely important" to avoid a funding lapse.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that Johnson's two-step plan is "untested," but added that the White House's goal is to "take the best path forward for the American people." Mr. Biden separately has declined to say whether he would veto the short-term measure if it were sent to his desk, but he would have no incentive to shut down the government rather than extend current funding levels.
In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he is "heartened" that Johnson's proposal doesn't include funding cuts, and pledged he and McConnell would work to determine the best way to "get this done quickly" if the funding package passed the House.
"Neither McConnell nor I want a shutdown," Schumer said in a news conference.
Speaker Mike Johnson's first test
The funding proposal posed a test for Johnson, who did not hold any positions in GOP leadership before he claimed the gavel last month. His ascension to the speakership capped a chaotic October for House Republicans, which began with former Speaker Kevin McCarthy's historic removal from the post as a result of a deal he made with Democrats in late September to keep agencies funded for 45 days — through Nov. 17.
All House Democrats backed McCarthy's stopgap measure. While his agreement avoided a lapse in government funding, it triggered a backlash from far-right Republicans that ultimately cost him the gavel. The House was left without a speaker for three weeks and found itself effectively paralyzed.
Though Johnson is following a similar path as McCarthy in pursuing a funding bill that maintains spending levels and does not include conservative priorities, there appears to be less of an appetite among conservative lawmakers to take action against the speaker.
The Freedom Caucus said in its statement announcing opposition to the two-step continuing resolution that it remains "committed" to working with Johnson, but called for "bold change."
Johnson, meanwhile, has defended his approach and said his so-called "laddered" continuing resolution will avoid Congress being forced to accept a massive omnibus spending package right before the holidays.
"That is a gift to the American people, because that is no way to legislate. It is not good stewardship. It's the reason we're in so much debt," he said.
Johnson said the Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 deadlines will allow lawmakers to work through the appropriations process "in good faith."
"What we need to do is avoid the government shutdown," he said. "Why? Because that would unduly harm the American people. Troops wouldn't be paid. We know all the effects of that, and so we have to avoid that and we have a responsibility to do it."
Left out of Johnson's funding proposal is emergency assistance for Israel and Ukraine, which President Biden had requested Congress provide after the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas. It's unclear when Congress could act to approve the additional funding, but the speaker said approving the short-term funding measure will allow Republicans to pursue discussions on necessary oversight for Ukraine aid and provide assistance to Israel.
