Congressional appropriators are reportedly preparing a bipartisan government funding bill to be voted on in the House early next week, moving ahead with a plan that always appeared to be the inevitable conclusion to a potential showdown between Republicans and Democrats.
Lawmakers are reportedly planning to pull together the details and text of the measure over the weekend so members can review it before a vote early next week. The bill is likely to extend current funding levels, with some tweaks, through December 13, , Roll Call reports, citing a source familiar with the talks. Democrats are reportedly looking to include $12 billion needed to plug a shortfall in veterans health care funding, plus $24 billion in additional disaster aid. Republicans told Roll Call the disaster aid would be better off if passed separately after the elections.
The bipartisan legislation would defuse the threat of a potential shutdown — though it might only heighten the threat to House Speaker Mike Johnson’s job. Conservatives, 14 of whom voted against Johnson’s government funding plan this week, are bound to be upset when the speaker turns to Democrats to help pass a short-term spending bill. The bipartisan bill would also exclude the Save Act, a Republican measure that would require proof of citizenship to vote.
Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina said there'll be a "lot of disappointment" if Johnson takes that approach, Axios reports. And Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana, when asked if Johnson would face a revolt if he moved ahead with a clean three-month bill, told Axios: “I sure hope so.”
Former President Donald Trump has also pressed Republicans to reject any funding plan that doesn’t include the GOP’s controversial voting measure, but Johnson and other lawmakers have reportedly warned Trump that a government shutdown would be a bad idea — and wouldn’t benefit his campaign for the White House.
The bottom line: If the House passes a stopgap next week, the Senate would need to clear some procedural hurdles on its side, but a shutdown would likely be avoided.
