House Approves Stopgap Funding Bill Just Days Before Potential Government Shutdown

Congress made significant progress Wednesday in its efforts to prevent a government shutdown, as the House successfully passed a short-term budget measure aimed at sustaining federal programs through the winter.

In a decisive vote of 341-82, the House approved a three-month continuing resolution, which will now move to the Senate for expected approval. If signed by President Joe Biden, this legislation will keep government funding at current levels until December 20.

Despite the necessary action to avert a politically damaging shutdown ahead of the presidential election, the resolution faced criticism from some Republicans. Representative Chip Roy of Texas voiced his frustration on the House floor, lamenting that Congress continually finds itself in the same predicament each year.

Roy pointed out that the quick fix was a direct result of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s unsuccessful attempt to enact a longer continuing resolution that included controversial voter ID legislation. He described the passage of the short-term measure as indicative of the cycle of political maneuvering that often frustrates legislators.

Prior efforts to pass a six-month funding extension paired with the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act had failed. The SAVE Act, which would mandate proof of citizenship at polling places, encountered resistance from both Democrats and some Republicans, who accused Johnson’s team of using it as a distraction in budget discussions.

In light of the stalled legislation, Johnson responded to calls from Democrats, opting for the shorter spending patch. He acknowledged this option was less than ideal but argued that allowing a government shutdown so close to the election would be politically irresponsible.

This continuing resolution sets the stage for potential budget disagreements in Congress before the holiday season, a situation many Republicans wish to avoid. However, some GOP members defend the move to a three-month patch as a necessary compromise. Representative Tom Cole from Oklahoma stated that Johnson was given a tough situation to navigate, citing delays in budget negotiations as a contributing factor.

Efforts to pass full-year spending bills for 2024 had already fallen behind schedule, with Congress managing to pass them only in March. The delay was largely attributed to internal conflicts among Republicans, who expressed dissatisfaction with Johnson’s collaboration with Democrats to secure short-term funding.

Democrats have pointed to this cooperation as a sign of necessary bipartisanship but criticized Republicans for their initial reluctance to engage in discussions. Senator Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat and member of the House Committee on Appropriations, highlighted the situation, claiming that a continuing resolution was now necessary due to House Republicans’ failure to produce suitable funding proposals.

DeLauro referenced the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, which many Democrats have associated with extreme funding proposals, reinforcing their stance for the current budget resolution as a practical choice to avoid further complications.

Democratic leaders committed to voting in favor of the three-month continuing resolution, and on Wednesday, all 218 House Democrats followed through with their support. The White House has expressed its backing for the measure as well.

As lawmakers prepare to address budget negotiations once more after the November presidential election, both chambers of Congress are slated to leave Washington for the entirety of October.