Washington — Home Speaker Mike Johnson introduced on Tuesday that the Home will transfer ahead with a plan to vote on a partisan stopgap measure to maintain the federal government funded this week, regardless of Democratic opposition and intra-party pushback that foiled a vote on the measure final week.
“Congress has a direct obligation to do two issues: responsibly fund the federal authorities, and make sure the safety of our elections,” Johnson mentioned in a press release, outlining that the Home would vote on the six-month persevering with decision and accompanying voting laws on Wednesday.
Final week, Home GOP leaders pulled the vote from the schedule in an acknowledgment of opposition from members of their very own celebration that possible would have doomed the invoice to fail. Johnson mentioned on the time that Republicans are “within the consensus-building enterprise,” noting that the vote can be delayed till this week whereas management labored to shore up help.
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Congress has till the top of the month to fund the federal government, making a short-term measure essential to keep away from a authorities shutdown. The plan is Home Republican management’s opening salvo within the funding battle — a seamless decision to maintain the federal government funded by March 28, whereas attaching a noncitizen voting invoice that Democrats typically see as a nonstarter.
The measure, often known as the SAVE Act, is geared toward focusing on the apply of unlawful voting, which is exceedingly uncommon. It will require proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections. The laws handed the Home earlier this 12 months, although solely U.S. residents are eligible to vote in federal elections beneath present regulation.
“I urge all of my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the folks of this county rightfully demand and deserve — forestall non-Americans from voting in American elections,” Johnson mentioned Tuesday.
Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer urged Johnson to “drop his plan” on Tuesday morning, noting that every one the transfer will do is “clarify that he is operating right into a useless finish.”
“At this level within the course of, the one means we will forestall a dangerous authorities shutdown is by each side working collectively to succeed in a bipartisan settlement,” Schumer mentioned. “That is the one means.”
