WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Wednesday House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) called off a vote to pass a six-month government funding plan. Johnson appeared to acknowledge the bill does not have enough support from Republicans to clear the House, raising pressure from Democrats to work across the aisle.
Johnson told reporters Republicans will work through the weekend to whip votes.
Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) says there are a handful of GOP members who will never support a short-term spending plan. The few that have publicly opposed the bill argue the price tag is too high.
Despite the pushback Johnson says he stands behind the speaker’s strategy to dig in. “I’m putting everything I have into backing the Speaker’s play to make sure we have the votes necessary to avoid a government shutdown and to make sure illegal immigrants do not vote in our elections.”
Democrats are opposed to the plan because it includes the Save Act, a provision outlawing undocumented immigrants from voting in U.S. elections.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) says the bill should be debated separately from the government funding bill.
“It’s controversial, we have disagreement about voter ID laws that will have a disproportionate impact in targeting legal voters,” says Khanna.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) says House Republicans pushing the provision are wasting their time, the bill is dead on arrival in the Democrat controlled Senate.
The White House vows to veto the legislation. In a veto message, the Office of Management and Budget writes “it is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections.”
Johnson says with Election Day around the corner, it’s important Republicans pass the bill to send a message to the American public. Ultimately Congress has until Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown.
