The House of Representatives passed a bill to keep the government funded for three months on Wednesday, bringing a temporary conclusion to Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) fledgling efforts to rally support.
In a 341-82 vote, Congress ensured that the government will avoid an end-of-the-month shutdown.
Two of Johnson's most outspoken critics, Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), both voted against the measure, alongside other Republicans. House votes 341-82 to pass the to Dec. 20 stopgap spending bill.
Senate vote expected in a few hours. pic.twitter.com/zhmSlCXzwG
— Jennifer Shutt (@JenniferShutt) September 25, 2024
The measure’s passage will generally fund agencies at current spending levels through Dec. 20, with an additional $230 million in funds for Secret Service protection after the second assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. This move follows last week’s unanimous decision by Congress to bolster Trump’s security.
On Tuesday, the Senate settled on a time agreement to expedite a final vote on the bill this evening, POLITICO reports.
“I appreciate the work of all the leaders to move forward with this CR. This is how things should be done. Without brinkmanship, without delay,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
“American families can rest assured now that their lives won’t be needlessly upended due to an unnecessary government shutdown,” he added, per The Hill.
On Monday, Johnson announced his new plan for a three-month spending bill after his initial effort to pass a six-month continuing resolution (CR) failed.
Johnson’s first CR — which included the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act — aimed to fund the government through March of next year. However, the measure failed after fourteen Republicans voted against it.
On Sunday, Johnson outlined a new “path forward for government funding” to prevent a shutdown on Oct. 1.
“Since we fell a bit short of the goal line, an alternative plan is now required,” he wrote in a letter to his GOP colleagues. “The feedback and ideas from everyone have been very helpful, and next week the House will take the initiative and pass a clean, three-month CR to prevent the Senate from jamming us with a bill loaded with billions in new spending and unrelated provisions.”
He added: “Our legislation will be a very narrow, bare-bones CR including only the extensions that are absolutely necessary.”
Johnson acknowledged that the new plan was not his preference, although it represented “the most prudent path forward.”
“As history has taught and current polling affirms, shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice,” he said, citing a McLaughlin & Associates survey that indicated two-thirds of likely voters oppose a government shutdown.
“The House floor was largely empty during debate on the measure,” AP News reports. “Lawmakers in both chambers are anxious to return to their home states and districts to campaign, smoothing the path for passage of a temporary funding fix. But more arduous fiscal negotiations await them at the end of the year. Under terms of a previous deal to avoid a federal default and allow the government to continue paying its bills, spending for defense and nondefense programs would rise 1% next year.”
Editor's Note: A previous version of this article did not include information about Massie or Greene's vote on the bill.
