Johnson’s government spending plan on rocky ground as shutdown looms

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s, R-La., effort to approve a temporary government spending plan is on rocky ground. His bill would keep the government open for six months at current funding levels and require proof of citizenship to register to vote. Both Democrats and the right flank of the Republican Party oppose the bill.

“House Republicans are leading us toward a government shutdown.” Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., said.

“The worst thing that Republicans in the House can do is create a fake fight that the base knows they’re lying about and frustrate our voters going into Nov. 5,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said. “That’s how you lose the House of Representatives on[sic] an election.”

Congress needs to approve funding by Sept. 30 to avoid a shutdown. Both sides have different issues with Johnson’s spending plan. 

Republicans who oppose the bill do not think it sufficiently reduces spending, after all, a continuing resolution is an extension of the current budget. 

“You have to vote for a continuing resolution that continues the Biden administration’s budget that pays for the Green New Deal that pays for all these horrific things that all these people are sick of,” Greene said. “It’s absurd.”

Republicans are also concerned Johnson could remove the measure to require proof of citizenship for voter registration once Senate Democrats refuse to approve it. But Johnson said he is standing strong. 

“I am resolved on this and I don’t know what more I can say to show that conviction,” Johnson said.  

House Democrats are also opposed to the measure. It appears a clean continuing resolution that keeps everything exactly as it is now with no strings attached is becoming increasingly likely. 

“The only way to pass a government funding bill is to pass it on a bipartisan basis,” Aguilar said.

Typically, when congressional leadership in either party bring forward a bill they know will not be signed into law, they do it to strengthen their negotiating position. If they can get all the members of their party behind to vote for it, they have a lot more leverage. But in this case, Johnson will lose leverage if he brings this up for a vote and a number of Republicans vote against it.

The federal government’s budget for fiscal year 2025, which goes from October 2024 to September 2025, is supposed to be finalized this year, under this Congress and this president. Pushing it to March means the new president and new Congress would finalize the spending bills.

There is disagreement on how long a continuing resolution should last, with suggestions between three and six months. That will also need to be sorted out.