House Fails to Pass Federal Funding Bill, Shutdown Looms

The United States House of Representatives failed to pass a government funding bill, heightening concerns over a potential government shutdown starting October 1. The bill, championed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, was defeated by a vote of 202 to 220 on Wednesday, September 18th. Johnson’s proposal aimed to extend government funding for six months through a continuing resolution (CR) but also included the controversial SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Speaker Johnson expressed disappointment after the vote, stating, “The play that we ran tonight was the right play…We’ll go back to the playbook, draw up another play, and come up with a solution.” However, the inclusion of the SAVE Act drew criticism from both parties, and former President Donald Trump applied pressure by urging Republicans to reject any funding measure unless it contained election security provisions. Johnson’s strategy to appease conservatives failed to garner enough support, even from within his party.

Democrats, led by House Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar, were largely opposed to the bill. Aguilar urged Johnson to “reject the most extreme voices in his party” and work toward bipartisan cooperation to avoid a shutdown. Aguilar emphasized, “The American people want to see an end to the chaos and division.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer also criticized the approach, calling for bipartisan solutions and pointing out the ineffectiveness of Johnson’s bill. “For the last two weeks, Speaker Johnson and House Republican leaders have wasted precious time on a proposal that everyone knows can’t become law,” Schumer remarked. Senate leaders are now expected to push forward their own stopgap measures.

As tensions rise with less than two weeks remaining, Johnson faces a critical challenge. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell acknowledged the proximity of the government funding deadline and the presidential election, noting it was not in the House Republicans’ best interest to halt progress with voting stalemates. McConnell said, at a press conference, that a government shutdown that occurs so close to the November election would “jeopardize the party’s standing with voters” and potentially cost them seats in Congress. He stated, “The one thing you cannot have is a government shutdown. It would be, politically, beyond stupid for us to do that.”