House Overwhelmingly Votes to Prevent Shutdown, Speaker Johnson Turns to Democrats
In a significant move to prevent a government shutdown, the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to support a measure proposed by new Republican Speaker Mike Johnson. This vote came after Johnson was forced to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats when hard-right conservatives revolted against his original plan.
Johnson’s proposal, which passed with a bipartisan 336-95 tally, will temporarily fund the government into the new year. However, 93 Republicans voted against the measure, highlighting the internal divisions within the party. This was the first major legislative test for the new speaker, and he showed a willingness to depart from his right-flank Republicans and collaborate with Democrats, a move that cost the previous House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, his job a few weeks ago.
The proposal put forward by Johnson presents a unique two-part process. It includes a continuing resolution that temporarily funds some federal agencies until January 19 and others until February 2. This approach does not include the deep spending cuts demanded by conservatives throughout the year, nor does it incorporate President Joe Biden’s request for additional funds for various purposes.
At a news conference on Tuesday, Johnson emphasized the importance of ensuring that the government remains operational, stating, We owe that to the American people. However, his approach faced opposition from hardline conservatives who sought budget cuts and voted against the plan. Several of these conservatives confronted the speaker after the vote, highlighting the challenges Johnson faced from within his own party.
With insufficient support from his Republican majority, Johnson had no choice but to rely on Democrats to secure passage and keep the federal government running. The Democratic leader, Hakeem Jeffries, acknowledged in a letter to colleagues that the GOP package met Democratic demands to maintain funding at current levels without significant reductions or divisive Republican policy priorities.
While Johnson’s proposal is expected to be approved by the Senate by the end of the week, some Republicans remain skeptical about the potential outcome in January. Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, threatened to take the House floor hostage if the chamber fails to pass all of the appropriations bills by the deadlines.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell expressed support for the House package, noting that it is a solution to avoid a government shutdown and predicting bipartisan approval in Congress. However, McConnell also emphasized the need to address Biden’s request for military aid to Ukraine and Israel, along with other priorities, which are still being worked on in the Senate.
If passed, the continuing resolution would represent a somewhat anticlimactic conclusion to the first year of Republican majority in the House. Despite their efforts to reduce federal government spending, Republicans have faced resistance from their own party members on the most conservative priorities. It is worth noting that if Congress fails to agree on new budget terms and pass traditional appropriation bills by springtime, automatic 1% cuts across all departments will be triggered.
In conclusion, Speaker Johnson’s ability to secure overwhelming support from the House to prevent a government shutdown demonstrates the challenges he faces in navigating his party’s divide. By collaborating with Democrats, he was able to pass a temporary funding measure into the new year. However, the lingering internal divisions within the Republican Party and the need to address several unresolved issues indicate that the road ahead remains challenging.
