House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has introduced a short-term funding bill in order to avoid a government shutdown at the end of next week and keep the government running through the end of September. The bill would need to be voted on next week, likely on Tuesday, before funding runs out on Friday. It is not clear if the bill has enough bipartisan support to pass both chambers, as it was not negotiated with Democrats.
President Trump has backed Johnson’s bill and said he would sign it to avoid a shutdown early on in his term. The bill focuses on increasing defense spending while reducing non-defense discretionary spending and does not include additional emergency funding, disaster designations, or earmarks.
Democrats, including Rep. Rosa DeLauro, have criticized the bill, calling it a “power grab” and warning that it could result in spending cuts to crucial areas such as health care and veterans benefits. The divide between the parties raises the possibility of a shutdown, as House Democrats have already expressed opposition to the bill.
If the bill passes in the House, it would move to the Senate where Republicans would need to secure seven Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster. Republican and Democratic leaders continue to differ on how to avoid a shutdown, with Democrats demanding guardrails on presidential spending power and Republicans focused on passing a reconciliation package. A government shutdown would impact millions of federal workers across the country.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
