Key Points:
- Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has introduced a revised temporary government funding proposal, which includes notable changes from the earlier version he proposed this month.
- The new proposal diverges from Donald Trump’s preferences and offers concessions to Democrats.
- The updated bill would fund the government through Dec. 20 and excludes the Trump-backed SAVE Act, which sought to mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration.
- Johnson’s earlier bill, favored by Trump, was tied to the SAVE Act and would have extended government funding through March 2025.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Sunday a revised temporary government funding proposal, featuring key amendments from the original bill he introduced earlier this month. This new plan departs from former President Donald Trump’s preferences and includes some concessions to Democrats.
The bill would fund the government through Dec. 20 and omits the Trump-supported SAVE Act, an election security proposal requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration.
In a letter to colleagues, Johnson described the proposal as “very narrow, bare-bones,” including “only the extensions that are absolutely necessary” to prevent a government shutdown.
Congress has eight days to reach an agreement on funding before a partial government shutdown begins on Oct. 1 at 12:01 a.m. ET, just weeks ahead of the November elections, which will determine control of both the White House and Congress.
“While this is not the solution any of us prefer, it is the most prudent path forward under the present circumstances,” Johnson wrote, warning that a government shutdown this close to the election would be “political malpractice.”
House Republican aides expect the bill to reach the House floor by Wednesday. The three-month funding plan also includes $231 million for the Secret Service, in response to increased pressure following an apparent assassination attempt on Trump last Sunday.