Government shutdown: House GOP hopes to pass funding package to avoid shutdown

House Republicans are hoping to pass a funding package ahead of the next government shutdown deadline on 17 November.

Speaker Mike Johnson released his plan on Saturday to avoid a partial shutdown and to extend funding for a number of agencies and programmes until 19 January and continue the funding for other government areas until 2 February.

The two-step plan is novel for a stopgap funding bill – legislators usually extend funding for all programmes at the same time and until the same date.

Mr Johnson is attempting to sidestep rebukes from some Republicans who have expressed dismay at the possibility of having to vote on a massive spending bill just before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

In a statement, Mr Johnson said: “This two-step continuing resolution is a necessary bill to place House Republicans in the best position to fight for conservative victories.”

“The bill will stop the absurd holiday-season omnibus tradition of massive, loaded up spending bills introduced right before the Christmas recess,” he added.

House prepares for vote to prevent government shutdown

21:30 , AP

The House prepared on Tuesday for a vote to prevent a government shutdown, with new Republican Speaker Mike Johnson forced to reach across the aisle to Democrats when hard-right conservatives revolted against his plan.

To keep the federal government running into the new year, Johnson was willing to leave his right-flank Republicans behind and work with Democrats — the same political move that cost the last House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, his job just weeks ago.

This time, Johnson of Louisiana appeared on track for a temporarily better outcome as some Republicans showed signs of unrest but stopped short of threatening to remove the speaker, who has been on the job for just three weeks. The Senate would act next, ahead of Friday’s shutdown deadline.

“Making sure that government stays in operation is a matter of conscience for all of us. We owe that to the American people,” Johnson said at a news conference at the Capitol.

VIDEO: James Comer throws ‘smurf’ insult at Rep. Moskowitz in heated House hearing argument

21:00 , The Independent

VIDEO: House to vote on preventing government shutdown amid GOP infighting

20:30 , Gustaf Kilander

VIDEO: Speaker Mike Johnson says Congress 'addicted' to deficit spending

20:00 , The Independent

‘You can’t assume my vote on any bill,’ Chip Roy says

19:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Rep Chip Roy appeared on Fox, saying, “you can’t assume my vote on any bill, if the speaker is going to roll us”.

“I don’t like playing the ultimatum game, I will simply say that. I don’t want anybody to try to sell me something and call it border security if it’s not,” he added.

GOP rep claims Kevin McCarthy physically shoved him amid shutdown spat

19:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Former Speaker Kevin McCarthy is reported to have shoved one of the members who voted to oust him in the halls of Congress.

Mr McCarthy was seen by reporters elbowing Rep Tim Burchett, who told CNN that it was a “clean shot to the kidneys”.

Claudia Grisales of NPR was speaking to Mr Burchett at the time on Tuesday, writing on X that she had “never seen this on Capitol Hill”.

“While talking to @RepTimBurchett after the GOP conference meeting, former @SpeakerMcCarthy walked by with his detail and McCarthy shoved Burchett. Burchett lunged towards me. I thought it was a joke, it was not. And a chase ensued,” she wrote.

A spokesperson for Mr Burchett told The Independent: “I don’t have any official comments on the incident from the Congressman, but I do not have anything in that tweet that I wish to correct.”

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No ‘poison pill’ policies found in two-step funding plan

18:30 , Gustaf Kilander

The lack of spending cuts in the proposed two-step funding plan is the reason why it’s likely to attract bipartisan support even as rightwing Republicans vote against it.

Democratic House Leader Hakeem Jeffries said no “poison pill” policies have been found in the legislation that would prevent Democrats from backing it, adding that there are concerns about the two-step plans implementation.

“We continue to express concerns with the bifurcated deadlines that seem to be somewhat unprecedented,” he said, according to The Messenger.

‘It will take substantial Democratic votes to get it passed, but it will pass'

18:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The two-part funding bill looks set to pass the House with substantial Democratic support amidst divisions among the Republicans.

“It will take substantial Democratic votes to get it passed, but it will pass,” Rep Kevin Hern said on Tuesday, according to The Messenger. Mr Hern is set to vote against the bill.

VIDEO: Congress to vote on funding the government

17:30 , Gustaf Kilander

Republicans are left funding the government on autopilot

17:00 , AP

If approved, passage of another continuing resolution would be a stunning capstone to the House GOP’s first year in the majority. The Republicans have worked tirelessly to cut federal government spending only to find their own GOP colleagues are unwilling to go along with the most conservative priorities. Two of the Republican bills collapsed last week as moderates revolted.

Instead, the Republicans are left funding the government essentially on autopilot at the levels that were set in bipartisan fashion at the end of 2022, when Democrats had control of Congress but two parties came together to agree on budget terms.

All that could change in the new year when 1% cuts across the board to all departments would be triggered if Congress fails to agree to new budget terms and pass the traditional appropriation bills to fund the government by springtime.

The 1% automatic cuts, which would take hold in April, are despised by all sides — Republicans say they are not enough, Democrats say they are too steep and many lawmakers prefer to boost defense funds. But they are part of the debt deal McCarthy and Biden struck earlier this year. The idea was to push Congress to do better.

Johnson cannot afford many defections from Republicans

16:28 , AP

With the House narrowly divided, Johnson cannot afford many defections from Republicans, which is forcing him into the arms of Democrats.

Winning bipartisan approval of a continuing resolution is the same move that led McCarthy’s hard-right flank to oust him in October, days after the Sept. 30 vote to avert a federal shutdown. For now, Johnson appears to be benefiting from a political honeymoon in one of his first big tests on the job.

“Look, we’re going to trust the speaker’s move here,” said Rep. Drew Ferguson, R-Ga.

The Senate, where Democrats have a slim majority, has also signaled its willingness to accept Johnson’s package ahead of Friday’s deadline to fund the government.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said the House GOP package “will keep the lights on,” and he will support it.

But McConnell, R-Ky., noted that Congress still has work to do toward Biden’s request to provide U.S. military aid for Ukraine, Israel and other needs. Senators are trying to devise a separate package to fund U.S. supplies for the overseas wars and bolster border security, but it remains a work in progress.

‘You have to be wise about the fights you choose,’ speaker says

16:00 , Gustaf Kilander

House Speaker Mike Johnson held a press conference on Tuesday morning as the chamber prepares to vote on avoiding a government shutdown.

“We’re not surrendering, we’re fighting. But you have to be wise about the fights you choose,” the speaker told ABC News.

“I’ve been at the job less than three weeks, right?” Mr Johnson said. “I can’t turn an aircraft carrier overnight.”

VIDEO: What are the chances of a government shutdown?

15:45 , Gustaf Kilander

‘We will not accept any extreme right-wing policy provisions,’ Jeffries says

15:30 , AP

Under his proposal, Speaker Mike Johnson is putting forward a unique — critics say bizarre — two-part process that temporarily funds some federal agencies to Jan. 19 and others to Feb. 2. It’s a continuing resolution, or CR, that comes without any of the deep cuts conservatives are demanding. It also fails to include President Joe Biden’s request for nearly $106 billion for Ukraine, Israel, border security and other supplemental funds.

“I think it’s a very big mistake,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the hard-right Freedom Caucus.

Roy said there’s “a whole lot of opposition” among House Republicans to partnering with Democrats to pass the bill.

The Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said his party is “carefully evaluating” the proposal from the Republican leadership before giving approval.

“We remain concerned,” he said about the two-part approach. Veteran lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called it cumbersome, unusual and unworkable.

But Jeffries in a letter to Democratic colleagues noted that the GOP package met the Democratic demands to keep funding at current levels without steep reductions or divisive Republican policy priorities.

“We have articulated that we will not accept any extreme right-wing policy provisions in connection with funding the government,” Jeffries wrote.

Live: Mike Johnson and GOP officials speak ahead of government shutdown vote

15:29 , The Independent

New speaker seems to be on track for better outcome to avoid shutdown

15:15 , AP

The last time Congress tried to fund the government to prevent a federal shutdown, it cost House Speaker Kevin McCarthy his job.

This time, new Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., appears on track for a better outcome Tuesday as the House prepares to vote on a stopgap package to keep the government running into the new year. If approved, the Senate would act next, ahead of Friday’s shutdown deadline.

The new Republican leader faces the same political problem that led to McCarthy’s ouster, and is unlikely to win enough support from his Republican majority to pass the bill on its own. Instead, Johnson will be forced to rely on Democrats to ensure passage to keep the federal government running.

Johnson has called it a “necessary bill” that he hoped would put House Republicans “in the best position to fight” for their conservative priorities in the new year.

Speaker’s funding plan likely to need Democratic backing

14:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The speaker’s funding plan will likely need Democratic support amidst opposition from five House Republicans.

The spending bill’s lack of cuts is dividing the House GOP with at least five members having shared their opposition as of Monday morning – Reps Chip Roy, Warren Davidson, Bob Good, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and George Santos.

The Republicans can only lose four votes to pass a bill without Democratic support.

“My opposition to the clean CR just announced by the Speaker to the @HouseGOP cannot be overstated,” Mr Roy wrote on X. “Funding Pelosi level spending & policies for 75 days - for future ‘promises.’”

“I am opposed to the CR that has been proposed, because it contains no spending reductions, no border security, & no policy wins for the American people. I am committed to working with Speaker Johnson & my House colleagues to chart a better path forward for our country,” Mr Good said.

But including cuts rightwing Republicans want would make the spending bill dead on arrival in the Democratic Senate and White House.

Texas rep says funding bill provides ‘Pelosi level spending & policies for 75 days'

12:00 , AP

“My opposition to the clean CR just announced by the Speaker to the @HouseGOP cannot be overstated,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, tweeted on X. “Funding Pelosi level spending & policies for 75 days - for future ‘promises.’”

The White House, meanwhile, panned the plan as “unserious,” unworkable and a threat to national security and domestic programs.

“This proposal is just a recipe for more Republican chaos and more shutdowns—full stop,” said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, pointing to opposition from members of both parties. “House Republicans need to stop wasting time on their own political divisions, do their jobs, and work in a bipartisan way to prevent a shutdown.”

VIDEO: Government shutdown deadline nears once again

10:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Bill excludes funding requested by Biden for Israel, Ukraine, and US border

08:00 , AP

The bill excludes funding requested by President Joe Biden for Israel, Ukraine and the U.S. border with Mexico. Johnson said separating Biden’s request for an emergency supplemental bill from the temporary, stopgap measure “places our conference in the best position to fight for fiscal responsibility, oversight over Ukraine aid, and meaningful policy changes at our Southern border.”

Hardline conservatives, usually loathe to support temporary spending measures of any sort, had indicated they would give Johnson some leeway to pass legislation, known as a continuing resolution, or CR, to give Congress more time to negotiate a long-term agreement.

Republican admits Johnson’s plan is similar to ‘what got Kevin McCarthy in trouble'

06:00 , Gustaf Kilander

GOP Rep Carlos Giménez said on Fox Business that Speaker Johnson’s government funding plan is similar to “what got Kevin McCarthy in trouble”.

“I think you’ll get some Democrat votes ... You’ll get some Republicans not to vote for it,” he said.

Republicans ‘have no earthly idea what they are doing,’ ex-GOP staffer says

04:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Kurt Bardella, a former Republican Capitol Hill staffer who’s now a Democratic strategist, wrote on X on Monday that “Republicans in Congress seem determined to remind the American people every single day that they have no earthly idea what they are doing.

“@SpeakerJohnson is in over his head. The result will be yet another government shutdown courtesy of the GOP,” he added.

GOP ‘cannot negotiate with itself- and its leaders refuse to negotiate with anybody else'

02:00 , Gustaf Kilander

David Frum, a former speechwriter for President George W Bush, wrote on X on Monday: “With two US carrier groups poised for action to deter Iran, we are 4 days from a US government shutdown because the majority in the US House of Representatives cannot negotiate with itself- and its leaders refuse to negotiate with anybody else.”

McCarthy booted after previous continuing resolution passage

00:00 , AP

The federal government is operating under funding levels approved last year by a Democratic-led House and Senate. Facing a government shutdown when the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, Congress passed a 47-day continuing resolution, but the fallout was severe. Kevin McCarthy was booted from the speakership days later, and the House was effectively paralyzed for most of the month while Republicans tried to elect a replacement.

Republicans eventually were unanimous in electing Johnson speaker, but his elevation has hardly eased the dynamic that led to McCarthy’s removal — a conference torn on policy as well as how much to spend on federal programs. This past week, Republicans had to pull two spending bills from the floor — one to fund transportation and housing programs and the other to fund the Treasury Department, Small Business Administration and other agencies — because they didn’t have the votes in their own party to push them through the House.

Speaker’s funding plan likely to need Democratic backing

Monday 13 November 2023 22:00 , Gustaf Kilander

The speaker’s funding plan will likely need Democratic support amidst opposition from five House Republicans.

The spending bill’s lack of cuts is dividing the House GOP with at least five members having shared their opposition as of Monday morning – Reps Chip Roy, Warren Davidson, Bob Good, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and George Santos.

The Republicans can only lose four votes to pass a bill without Democratic support.

“My opposition to the clean CR just announced by the Speaker to the @HouseGOP cannot be overstated,” Mr Roy wrote on X. “Funding Pelosi level spending & policies for 75 days - for future ‘promises.’”

“I am opposed to the CR that has been proposed, because it contains no spending reductions, no border security, & no policy wins for the American people. I am committed to working with Speaker Johnson & my House colleagues to chart a better path forward for our country,” Mr Good said.

But including cuts rightwing Republicans want would make the spending bill dead on arrival in the Democratic Senate and White House.

Texas rep says funding bill provides ‘Pelosi level spending & policies for 75 days'

Monday 13 November 2023 20:00 , AP

“My opposition to the clean CR just announced by the Speaker to the @HouseGOP cannot be overstated,” Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, tweeted on X. “Funding Pelosi level spending & policies for 75 days - for future ‘promises.’”

The White House, meanwhile, panned the plan as “unserious,” unworkable and a threat to national security and domestic programs.

“This proposal is just a recipe for more Republican chaos and more shutdowns—full stop,” said press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, pointing to opposition from members of both parties. “House Republicans need to stop wasting time on their own political divisions, do their jobs, and work in a bipartisan way to prevent a shutdown.”

VIDEO: Government shutdown deadline nears once again

Monday 13 November 2023 18:00 , Gustaf Kilander

Bill excludes funding requested by Biden for Israel, Ukraine, and US border

Monday 13 November 2023 16:27 , AP

The bill excludes funding requested by President Joe Biden for Israel, Ukraine and the U.S. border with Mexico. Johnson said separating Biden’s request for an emergency supplemental bill from the temporary, stopgap measure “places our conference in the best position to fight for fiscal responsibility, oversight over Ukraine aid, and meaningful policy changes at our Southern border.”

Hardline conservatives, usually loathe to support temporary spending measures of any sort, had indicated they would give Johnson some leeway to pass legislation, known as a continuing resolution, or CR, to give Congress more time to negotiate a long-term agreement.