House Speaker Mike Johnson has postponed a vote on a six-month spending extension bill scheduled for September 11, 2024.
The decision came after it became clear that the bill, including controversial voting restriction legislation, lacked sufficient support from Republicans and Democrats.
According to Roll Call, Johnson announced the delay at midday, opting to continue working on building consensus within the Republican conference. The proposed bill aimed to tie a six-month spending extension to a voting restriction measure pushed by former President Donald Trump.
This legislation dubbed the "Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act" or "SAVE Act," would require individuals registering to vote to provide proof of citizenship. However, the inclusion of this provision alienated Democrats, with only one, Maine's Jared Golden, publicly backing the temporary spending measure.
The postponement revealed divisions within the Republican party. Anti-spending conservatives opposed the bill due to its extended timeline, while defense hawks expressed concerns about pausing new programs and delaying increases to the Pentagon's budget. House Armed Services Chairman Mike D. Rogers, R-Ala., went as far as to describe the bill as "terrible" for the Defense Department.
Despite the setback, Johnson remains committed to pushing forward with the legislation regulating voting restriction. Democrats, however, argue that requiring proof of citizenship could potentially disenfranchise eligible voters and suppress turnout despite existing laws prohibiting non-citizens from participating in federal elections.
As the possibility of a partial government shutdown looms at the end of the month, alternative strategies are being considered. Some Republicans, including senior House appropriators, prefer a shorter stopgap bill that would extend funding to mid-December.
In the Senate, appropriators are working on a short-term stopgap that would run through December 13. Senator Susan Collins, R-Maine, emphasized the importance of finalizing fiscal 2025 bills quickly, stating:
If it goes beyond mid-December, it places the new administration at a huge disadvantage because they're going to have to deal with issues that date back to October of this year, rather than focusing on the [fiscal 2026] budget, which I think would be their preference.
House Appropriations ranking member Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., has called for bipartisan stopgap talks to begin immediately. She urged Congress to move beyond partisan proposals and negotiate a funding bill that can garner support from both parties in both chambers.
As Johnson and GOP leaders work to shore up votes over the weekend, the path forward remains uncertain. House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., indicated that he is prepared to start negotiations but is waiting for direction from the Speaker.
Some Republican representatives have expressed concerns about potential consequences if the House fails to act promptly. Representative Steve Womack, R-Ark., warned:
My biggest fear overall is we are going to mess around with this thing for the next couple of weeks, and then we are going to be subject to an action of the Senate. They are going to leave town and go home to campaign, and they are going to say, 'Here you go House, take it or leave it.' And then we're going to be holding the bag.
Speaker Johnson's decision to postpone the vote on the six-month spending extension bill has highlighted the challenges of building consensus within a narrow Republican majority. The inclusion of controversial voting legislation in the bill faced opposition from both Democrats and some Republicans.
As the end of the month approaches, pressure mounts to find a solution that can prevent a partial government shutdown. Johnson and GOP leaders continue to work on the package, hoping to bring it back to the floor next week, while alternative proposals for shorter-term funding extensions are being considered in both chambers.
