A lively day unfolded on Capitol Hill as the House voted to approve crucial government spending bills. This has set off a race in the Senate to pass the legislation before a fast-approaching shutdown deadline, while also fueling a challenge from House conservatives against Speaker Mike Johnson’s leadership.
Friday’s tight timeline has sparked concerns about a potential partial shutdown at midnight ET. Senators are engaged in negotiations on Capitol Hill late into the night in a bid to reach an agreement to pass the legislation swiftly. However, it remains uncertain whether they will be able to reach a deal in time to beat the deadline.
If both chambers of Congress fail to pass the legislation before the deadline, there would be a temporary funding gap, leading to a partial shutdown. The impact of such a shutdown would be limited if funding is approved over the weekend before the start of the work week.
Immediately after the House vote, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia filed a motion to remove Johnson from the speakership, marking a significant challenge to his leadership. The final House vote was 286-134, with 112 Republicans and 22 Democrats voting against.
The bill covers a range of critical government operations, including the departments of Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, State, and the legislative branch.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated that the legislative package arrived "in the nick of time," with less than 48 hours remaining before the deadline for a partial government shutdown. Schumer emphasized the need for bipartisan cooperation to pass the package before the deadline and avoid a shutdown.
After months of avoiding shutdowns with last-minute stopgap measures, Congress finally passed a package of six bills in early March to fund various government agencies for the rest of the fiscal year.
Lawmakers must now fund the remainder of the government to complete the annual federal funding process, which has been delayed due to partisan policy disagreements and a historic change of leadership in the House.
Johnson, who became Speaker after the removal of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, faces challenges from his right flank over his handling of the government funding fight. With the House beginning a two-week recess, Greene’s resolution to oust Johnson will be a topic of discussion among Republicans.
Johnson praised the bill, highlighting conservative victories in the package and calling it a commitment to strengthening national defense.
House members from both sides criticized the agreement, with progressives and far-right members expressing concerns for different reasons.
GOP Rep. Chip Roy of Texas stated he won’t support any Republican who votes for the bill, criticizing it as a "failure."
House progressives have also voiced criticism, with some indicating they will vote against it over provisions related to funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.
McCarthy’s removal has raised questions about whether Johnson could face a similar challenge to his speakership. However, many Republicans have indicated they do not want another speaker's race after the chaos triggered by McCarthy’s removal.
The funding package signed into law by President Joe Biden earlier this month included funding for various departments and federal programs.
This story and headline have been updated to reflect additional developments.
Login