Title: House to Consider House Speaker Mike Johnson’s Plan to Prevent Government Shutdown
Date: [Date]
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal to avert a government shutdown will be debated on Tuesday. The plan, set to be discussed in the House, centers around a continuing resolution, a temporary measure to fund the government.
In a departure from convention, the resolution will bypass the House Rules Committee and be put on the House floor under a procedure known as suspension of the rules. This process prohibits amendments and necessitates a two-thirds majority for the resolution to pass.
To successfully pass the resolution, Johnson will need the support of Democrats, as some Republicans have voiced opposition to the plan. Extending government funding until various dates, the resolution grants funding until January 19 for certain agencies and until February 2 for others.
Notably, the plan lacks the spending cuts demanded by conservatives and does not provide funding for Ukraine, Israel, and the southern border. However, by omitting these contentious elements, Johnson hopes to preempt the need for a rushed omnibus spending bill before the Christmas recess.
Unfortunately for Johnson, some Republicans, including Representative Chip Roy, have openly criticized the proposal. If all opposing Republicans follow suit and vote against the bill, Johnson will have to rely on Democratic support to secure its passage.
It is crucial for Congress to enact appropriations bills to finance federal government agencies for the upcoming year before October 1. While the House has successfully passed seven bills in this regard, the Senate has only managed to pass three, and none have received approval from both chambers.
In September, a temporary spending agreement was reached to keep the government operational until mid-November. However, this deal alarmed hard-right members of Congress, leading to the ousting of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy from his position. Acknowledging the imminent need for another stopgap spending measure, Johnson is seeking to avert a shutdown through his proposed plan.
It appears that the exclusion of spending cuts and amendments makes the plan more appealing to Democrats. President Biden has indicated a willingness to sign the resolution if it manages to clear Congress. Senate Democrats have refrained from substantial criticism of the bill.
The Senate has postponed a procedural vote on its own short-term funding extension, allowing the House to take the lead on this matter. As the deadline looms, legislators are under mounting pressure to find a bipartisan solution to avoid a government shutdown.
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