House Rejects Speaker’s Spending Plan; GOP Faces Internal Strife

In a tightly divided House, Speaker Mike Johnson’s six-month stop-gap spending measure failed to pass, revealing deep GOP divisions.

At a Glance

The House rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s spending measure with a 220-202 vote.
Lawmakers need to approve a stopgap measure to prevent a partial government shutdown on Oct. 1.
Johnson’s proposal faced Republican opposition over spending and Democrat opposition overall.
Johnson has not shared details of an alternative plan yet.

House Defeats Speaker Mike Johnson’s Six-Month Stop-Gap Spending Measure Amid GOP Divisions

A House vote to approve Speaker Mike Johnson’s six-month stop-gap spending bill failed on Tuesday. The proposal, which included the SAVE Act mandating proof of citizenship for voter registration, lost 220-202. Johnson faced significant opposition from both sides of the aisle. The bill’s rejection underscores challenges in the GOP and highlights obstacles in achieving a consensus.

Speaker Johnson’s proposal aimed to prevent noncitizen voting with measures reflecting the GOP priority for election security. However, the six-month spending extension did not garner sufficient support. Republicans raised concerns over defense spending and overall fiscal direction. Conservative members like Representative Jim Banks criticized the bill for maintaining current spending levels without introducing stricter controls. Representative Thomas Massie called the initiative “unserious political theater.” These divisions show the party’s profound disagreements on budget issues.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson says he's planning a vote Wed. on a 6-month temporary spending bill with the SAVE Act attached.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) compares the plan to an "undead but doomed zombie," says he's a "hell no" on it. @SpectrumNewsDC @SpectrumNews1KY https://t.co/c9nDoDxk4p

— Erin Kelly (@ErinKYSpectrum) September 17, 2024

Opposition from Both Parties

Democrats largely opposed the spending bill due to its mandate for proof of citizenship for voter registration. They argued that this requirement may disenfranchise millions of Americans who do not have easy access to birth certificates or passports. Johnson insisted that stopping noncitizens from voting is crucial, referencing a close election in Iowa as an example.

“It’s very, very serious stuff and that’s why we’re going to do the right thing,” Johnson said. “We’re going to responsibly fund the government and we’re going to stop noncitizens voting in elections.”

House Democrats, alongside Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, called for bipartisan cooperation to avert a shutdown. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell emphasized the importance of avoiding a government shutdown as well. President Trump encouraged Republicans to push for the proof of citizenship mandate, stating on Truth Social that they should not agree to any Continuing Resolution absent the SAVE Act.

Breaking News: Republicans joined House Democrats to defeat Speaker Mike Johnson’s stopgap spending bill as a federal shutdown looms at the end of the month. https://t.co/FJpvMg8k8u

— The New York Times (@nytimes) September 18, 2024

Future Plans and Intra-party Divisions

Johnson has not yet shared alternative plans to avoid a government shutdown. Rep. Mike Lawler assured there would be no shutdown, suggesting another stopgap measure if needed. Significant divisions within the GOP were evident, with some members advocating for a shorter three-month extension while others preferred Johnson’s six-month proposal, hoping to gain leverage should Trump win the upcoming election.

“We’ll draw up another play and we’ll come up with a solution,” Johnson said. “I’m already talking to colleagues about their many ideas. We have time to fix the situation and we’ll get right to it.”

As lawmakers continue to debate, their actions will undoubtedly have substantial ramifications for the nation’s fiscal health and for upcoming elections. Achieving consensus remains a challenging task amid stark ideological differences and competing priorities within the party and across the aisle.