WASHINGTON — Congress is approaching another government shutdown deadline with no clear plan for a bipartisan stopgap spending bill, compounded by new interference from the Republican presidential nominee.
House Republicans have opted to proceed alone, scheduling a vote Wednesday on a six-month continuing resolution, despite lacking the necessary votes to pass both chambers. President Joe Biden has issued a veto threat, ensuring the bill’s failure.
Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump urged his party to force a shutdown if Democrats don’t agree to include a bill requiring an ID to register to vote. “If Republicans in the House, and Senate, don’t get absolute assurances on Election Security, THEY SHOULD, IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, GO FORWARD WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET,” Trump wrote on social media.
House Republican leaders have included a bill requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, despite it being illegal for non-citizens to vote in such elections. The original bill, H.R.8281, introduced by Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy, passed 221-198 in July but stalled in the Senate.
The White House rejected the addition in a statement, writing it “would do nothing to safeguard our elections, but would make it much harder for all eligible Americans to register to vote.” Congress must pass a spending bill before the end of the month to avoid a partial government shutdown just weeks before the November elections.
Senators react
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer urged congressional leaders to negotiate a bipartisan agreement. “The bottom line is, we want a bipartisan negotiation,” Schumer said. “We will sit down and do a bipartisan negotiation, and that’s the only way to pass this.” He emphasized House Speaker Mike Johnson’s role in initiating the meeting.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell reserved judgment on the House stopgap spending bill until it passes. “I think we first have to see what the House sends us, and then, of course, how to handle that will be up to the majority leader,” McConnell said. He firmly opposed a government shutdown, stating, “A government shutdown is always a bad idea.”
Thune cites predictability for military
Senate Republican Whip John Thune criticized the House GOP’s six-month stopgap spending bill, warning it could delay negotiations on annual government funding bills until early next year. This delay could impact the Senate’s vetting and voting on the next president’s Cabinet nominees. Thune highlighted the negative effects on the Defense Department and military readiness, advocating for a shorter-term spending bill to provide predictability and certainty for military planners.
Thune acknowledged differing opinions within the GOP, stating, “There are those who believe that punting this in the next year is a good strategy.” He indicated that Senate GOP leaders would consider various stances before deciding on a response based on the House’s actions and Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s decisions.
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