Mike Johnson cancels vote on funding bill after Republicans signal opposition | US Congress

House Republican Leader Mike Johnson hastily scrapped a scheduled vote on his government funding package Wednesday after at least eight members of his own conference voiced opposition to the plan, raising new questions about how Congress can avoid a partial shutdown before the end of the month.

Johnson combined a six-month emergency funding bill with the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (Save) Act, a controversial proposal that would require people to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

Donald Trump further complicated Johnson’s efforts by insisting Tuesday that Republicans should not pass any government funding bill without addressing “election security” and leveling unsubstantiated accusations against Democrats that they were “trying to ‘pollute’ voter registrations with illegal aliens.”

Johnson acknowledged that he did not have enough support to pass the bill, since he could afford only four defectors within his conference if every House Democrat opposed the plan. Johnson told reporters on Capitol Hill that he and his team would work through the weekend to reach an agreement on government funding.

“No vote today, because we’re in the business of consensus building here in Congress. With small majorities, that’s what you do,” Johnson said. “We’re having thoughtful conversations, family conversations within the Republican conference, and I believe we’ll get there.”

Johnson’s bill would have extended government funding until March 28, more than two months after the new president took office in January. If Congress does not act on federal funding this month, the government could partially shut down beginning Oct. 1.

Despite the lack of enthusiasm for a government shutdown so close to Election Day on Nov. 5, Democrats and some Republicans oppose Johnson’s proposal. Democrats largely oppose the Save Act, which Republicans argue is necessary to prevent noncitizens from voting. Critics of the Save Act note that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote and warn that the policy could deter eligible voters from casting ballots. The House of Representatives passed the Save Act in July, but Senate Democrats have shown no interest in advancing the bill.

In a “Dear Colleague” letter sent Monday, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries slammed Johnson’s proposal as “unserious and unacceptable.” He called on Congress to pass a stopgap bill, known as a continuing resolution, that would continue funding the government after Election Day and allow lawmakers to pass a full-year spending package before the new year.

“To avoid a GOP-driven government shutdown that will harm everyday Americans, Congress must pass a short-term resolution that allows us to complete the budget process this calendar year and is free from partisan policy changes inspired by Trump’s Project 2025,” Jeffries said. “There is no other viable path forward that protects the health, safety, and economic well-being of hardworking American taxpayers.”

Even among fellow Republicans, Johnson had encountered resistance. At least eight Republicans had signaled they would oppose the bill, complaining that it did not do enough to cut government spending. Thomas Massie, a Republican congressman from Kentucky who has repeatedly clashed with Johnson, derided the speaker’s proposal as “an insult to the intelligence of Americans.”

“The (continuing resolution) does not cut spending, and the shiny object attached to it will be dropped like a hot potato before it passes,” Massie said Monday.

Johnson had simultaneously faced criticism from Congressman Mike Rogers, the Republican chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, who expressed concern about how the emergency bill could impact military readiness. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has described passing a full-year budget for the Pentagon as “the single most important thing Congress can do to ensure U.S. national security.”

Johnson will now meet with fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives to try to secure a majority. But even if he manages to push his bill across the finish line, it has virtually no chance of passing in the Democratic-controlled Senate.

In his own “Dear Colleague” letter sent on Sunday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer suggested that Democrats would pass a clean funding bill on their own without “poison pills.”

“As I’ve said before, the only way to get things done is in a bipartisan way,” Schumer said. “Despite Republican bluster, that’s how we’ve handled every funding bill in the past, and this time should be no exception. We won’t allow poison pills or Republican extremism to jeopardize funding for critical programs.”

Trump’s ultimatum could land Johnson in hot water and raises the risk of a partial government shutdown coming just weeks before Americans go to the polls.

Trump said on his social media platform Truth Social on Tuesday: “If Republicans in the House and Senate cannot get absolute assurances about the security of the election, THEY SHOULD NOT PROCEED WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET IN ANY CASE, SHAPE, OR FORM.”