Speaker Johnson Proposes ‘Two-Step’ Measure To Avert Government Shutdown
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House Speaker Mike Johnson announced a two-step short-term expenditure measure to avoid a shutdown of the government.
The plan would reportedly give money to certain federal agencies through mid-January, while others would receive funds until early February. This would allow lawmakers in both the House and Senate time to work out long-term spending legislation. The deadline for submissions is November 17.
Johnson wrote in a Saturday post on X that “this two-step continuing resolutin is a bill necessary to put House Republicans in a position to fight for victories conservatives.” The bill will end the ridiculous holiday-season tradition of massive spending bills being introduced just before Christmas recess.
Johnson noted that by separating the continuing-resolution debates from the supplemental funding discussions, such as those related to Israel and the Ukraine, the GOP is better positioned “to fight fiscal responsibility, oversight of Ukraine aid, or meaningful policy changes on our Southern border.”
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Not all Republicans supported the proposal. Rep. Chip Roy, R-TX, appeared to be frustrated by the proposal because it would continue to fund the government at the current levels of spending.
“It is a 100 percent clean.” Roy wrote in a post to X that he was “100% opposed”. My opposition to the new clean CR announced by [Johnson] is not overstated. “Funding Pelosi-level spending and policies for 75-days – to fulfill future promises.” he said, referring the former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
House Republicans cannot afford to lose more than a few votes to make the proposal pass. They will also need Democrats on board to support the measure. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-CA, was voted out of his position as Speaker last month after he successfully pushed a bipartisan 45-day continuing measure.
Last week, in the Senate controlled by Democrats, Chuck Schumer, the majority leader, announced that he would call a vote for a temporary bill to fund government, while asking the GOP-led House to refrain from adding “poison tablets” or cuts to spending that wouldn’t get bipartisan approval.
The White House issued a statement against Johnson’s proposal, and Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre called the proposal “a formula for more Republican chaos” and “more shutdowns”.