House Speaker Mike Johnson pulled a stopgap funding measure on Wednesday over objections from various GOP factions.
The continuing resolution, which had been paired with the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, was set to be voted on this afternoon but will now hit the floor next week so Republicans have the weekend to “build consensus.”
“The whip is going to do the hard work and build consensus. We’re going to work through the weekend on that,” Johnson told reporters, clarifying there will not be a vote Wednesday “because we’re in the consensus-building business here in Congress with small majorities.”
The measure has crumbled amid mounting criticism from conservatives, defense hawks and other Republican factions, and it’s unclear that more time will help save the bill unless leaders make drastic changes. House GOP leaders have been already been whipping the bill, and nearly a dozen Republicans have publicly said they plan to vote against it. The package would fund the government through March 28 and is combined with legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote, known as the SAVE Act.
While a government shutdown at month’s end is still unlikely and unwanted by congressional leaders, it’s the latest episode of Johnson’s repeated struggles this year to muster enough support to pass GOP spending bills, thanks to many of the same problems currently plaguing his conference.
Johnson and GOP leaders have indicated they don't have a fallback plan to stave off a government shutdown that would hit in less than three weeks. The speaker continued pushing for the SAVE Act on Wednesday, even as he announced the vote delay.
"I want any member of Congress — in either party — to explain to the American people why we should not ensure that only US citizens are voting in US elections," Johnson said. (Politico)
Earlier this week, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) blasted both parties as he exposed what’s really going on with the stopgap spending plan, calling the fight over the funding nothing more than "political theater."
The Kentucky Republican called the SAVE Act attached to the CR this year's "bright shiny object" that will never become law.
I refuse to be a thespian in the Speaker’s failure theater.
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) September 9, 2024
The 6 month continuing resolution with the SAVE Act attached is an insult to Americans’ intelligence.
The CR doesn’t cut spending, and the shiny object attached to it will be dropped like a hot potato before passage. pic.twitter.com/0FdHRYTm1q
He cheered Johnson's announcement that he was delaying the vote.
This week’s production of failure theater has been postponed! CR vote canceled this week. Thank you to everyone who shared my speech Monday. https://t.co/883lyglpl8
— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) September 11, 2024