House passes funding bill without Trump-backed SAVE Act, avoiding government shutdown but sparking GOP debate.
At a Glance
- Congress passed a three-month funding bill, averting a government shutdown
- The bill excludes the SAVE Act, an election security measure supported by Trump
- House Speaker Mike Johnson removed the SAVE Act after previous rejection
- The bill includes $231 million for the Secret Service due to increased threats
- The measure sets up another spending battle before the December holidays
Congress Passes Funding Bill, Averts Shutdown
Congress has successfully passed a three-month government funding bill, narrowly avoiding a looming shutdown. The bill, which extends current funding levels through December 20, cleared both chambers with bipartisan support. The Senate approved the measure with a 78-18 vote, while the House passed it with a 341-82 margin. All opposition came from Republican members, highlighting internal party disagreements over spending and election security measures.
The passage of this stopgap measure allows the government to continue operating at current levels, but it sets the stage for another potential spending showdown before the holiday season. Both chambers of Congress will now adjourn for an extended recess, returning after the November 5 election to face the next funding deadline.
BREAKING: House passes a short-term funding bill to avoid a government shutdown before the election.
The Senate and President Biden are expected to quickly approve it. https://t.co/pwOoww4TXw
— Breaking News (@BreakingNews) September 25, 2024
SAVE Act Exclusion Sparks Debate
A significant point of contention in the funding bill was the exclusion of the SAVE Act, an election security provision strongly supported by former President Donald Trump. This act would have required in-person verification of citizenship for voter registration and mandated states to remove non-citizens from voter rolls. House Speaker Mike Johnson made the decision to remove the SAVE Act from the bill after its previous rejection, sparking debate within the Republican Party.
“I’m not defying President Trump. I’ve spoken with him at great length, and he is very frustrated about the situation. His concern is election security, and it is mine, as well. It is all of ours,” Johnson told reporters Tuesday.
Johnson defended his decision, arguing that a GOP-led shutdown just before Election Day would be “political malpractice.” He blamed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer for not advancing the SAVE Act, shifting responsibility for its exclusion to the Democratic leadership.
Bipartisan Cooperation and Criticism
Despite the internal Republican disagreements, the bill’s passage demonstrated a level of bipartisan cooperation in averting a government shutdown. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer praised the eventual bipartisan effort while criticizing the initial approach of House Republicans.
“There will be no shutdown, because finally, at the end of the day, our Republican colleagues in the House decided to work with us. … I hope the House will have learned its lesson that once again, listening to the hard right on these vital issues — to funding the government, to avoiding default — cannot lead to anything that is useful or constructive,” Schumer said before the vote Wednesday. “In fact, I hope this positive outcome of bipartisanship can set the tone for more constructive bipartisan work when we return in the fall.” Source
However, some Republicans expressed disappointment with the bill’s passage without the SAVE Act. Representative Mike Bost of Illinois voiced his concerns, stating, “We’re facing what may be the closest presidential election in modern history, and I couldn’t justify voting for a bill that’s half as good and funds government for half as long as the one we brought to the floor last week. Southern Illinoisans deserve to have confidence that our elections are secure and that their vote won’t be cancelled out by someone casting a ballot illegally.” Source
Looking Ahead
The passage of this stopgap measure provides temporary relief, but it also sets the stage for another potential funding battle in the post-election lame duck session. With the new December 20 deadline looming, lawmakers will need to address long-term funding solutions and potentially revisit contentious issues like election security measures.
As the political landscape continues to shift in the lead-up to the 2024 elections, the debate over government funding and election security is likely to remain at the forefront of national discourse. The coming weeks and months will reveal whether this temporary bipartisan cooperation can translate into more substantial agreements on these critical issues.
