(Rightallegiance.com) – Lawmakers are set to return to Capitol Hill on Monday following their August recess to tackle the looming government funding crisis. With only three weeks left until the October 1st deadline, Congress faces an uphill battle to avoid a government shutdown, with tensions high over how to handle the situation. While lawmakers will likely pass a short-term measure to keep the government funded temporarily, a longer-term solution seems out of reach for now.
House Republicans have already started to formulate their strategy, which includes a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded through March 28. The GOP is also attaching a controversial bill to the measure: the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. Speaker Mike Johnson introduced the plan to House Republicans during a conference call, and the bill text was unveiled on Friday. The push for the SAVE Act comes from the House Freedom Caucus, which has made targeting illegal voting a key priority, despite the fact that current law already limits voting in federal elections to U.S. citizens.
Johnson defended the move as necessary both to fund the government and to safeguard the election process, stating that Congress has a duty to ensure “only American citizens can decide American elections.” A vote on the measure could happen as soon as Wednesday, though its chances of passing remain uncertain, even in the Republican-controlled House.
The measure is facing stiff opposition from Democrats. While five Democrats crossed party lines to vote for the bill in July, the broader Democratic Party and the White House are strongly opposed to tying it to a funding measure. The Office of Management and Budget has stated that President Biden would veto the bill if it reaches his desk, and White House officials have accused Republicans of playing political brinkmanship with government funding.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries echoed these concerns, calling the GOP’s decision to link the voting bill to the funding resolution “unserious and unacceptable.” Senate Democratic leaders, including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Patty Murray, have also criticized the Republicans’ approach, stressing the need for bipartisan cooperation to avoid a shutdown. Schumer warned that if Republicans stick to this partisan path, the likelihood of a government shutdown would rise, and the responsibility would fall on them.
Democratic lawmakers, such as Rep. Rosa DeLauro, have also expressed frustration with the GOP, accusing them of letting the most extreme members of their party dictate the process. DeLauro called for a less divisive stopgap measure, proposing a resolution that would keep the government funded through December as a better alternative for Americans.
A continuing resolution has long been anticipated, as Congress struggles to pass the 12 appropriations bills needed to fund the government before the October 1 deadline. However, how long the stopgap measure would last remains uncertain. Speaker Johnson has indicated his desire to avoid the typical year-end omnibus spending package, which has often been used to fund the government through the holiday season.
Republicans may prefer to push the deadline into next year, especially with the 2024 presidential election looming. The GOP hopes that, if they regain control of the White House or Senate, they would have more leverage in future funding negotiations. However, this strategy could also set up a clash in the early days of the next administration, whether it’s under President Biden or a new president.
The stakes are high for Republicans as the party continues to deal with the fallout from the 2023 spending fight that led to the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Speaker Johnson now faces a difficult task of uniting his party behind a plan that may not sit well with all Republicans. Already, Rep. Matt Rosendale, a Montana Republican, has voiced opposition to Johnson’s plan, criticizing it as a “messaging bill” that does little to reduce the deficit or ensure the passage of a short-term funding measure.
As the October 1 deadline draws nearer, it remains to be seen whether lawmakers can find common ground or if the country will face yet another government shutdown.