WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Under a month before a potential government shutdown, two main issues divide Democrats and Republicans over a temporary funding package before the Sept. 30 funding deadline.
The first: attaching a bill that would require documentary proof of citizenship for a person to register to vote. The second: the timing of the temporary package.
Earlier this year, Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) introduced the SAVE Act, with the goal of preventing noncitizens from voting. Roy and other members of the House Freedom Caucus urged Speaker Mike Johnson to attach it to a temporary spending bill.
A person familiar said Speaker Johnson will move forward with that plan.
“If you’re voting in a federal election, you’ve got to prove you’re a citizen. This is not hard,” said Roy. “We make it easy. No burden. But we ought to go through that to make sure there aren’t noncitizens voting.”
When the SAVE Act came up for a vote in the House the first time, five Democrats voted in favor of it. The rest voted against. The Senate, controlled by Democrats, didn’t consider the bill.
This time, Roy said, if it’s attached to the spending bill, the Senate may have to consider it.
“We’ll send it over to the Senate and say, alright, guys. What do you want to do?” Roy said.
The White House continued to oppose the SAVE Act, arguing it would make it more difficult for people who are eligible to vote.
“We strongly oppose this Republican stunt and fact checkers across the board have made it clear, it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Democrats and some Republicans are also arguing over the timing of a temporary spending package. Some House Republicans have indicated they would like to continue to fund the government through next March, well into the next President’s term, hoping former president Donald Trump will win the election.
Republican House Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) said he would caution against that plan.
“That’s not good for anybody. It’s bad governance,” Cole said in July. “I would recommend let’s get our work done by the end of the calendar year.”
House members will return on Sept. 10.
