House Republicans advanced the bill on Tuesday, avoiding government shutdowns at the end of the week and filed a final vote on the law later that day.
The Chamber of Commerce voted 216-214 to adopt rules governing the legal debate for Mike Johnson (R-La.)'s ongoing solution. The measure will maintain funding on the government until September 30th, at the end of the fiscal year, boost defense funding and imposing reductions on non-disability programs.
The successful vote allows the House of Representatives to discuss the measures and hold a final vote.
However, it remains unclear whether there is enough support to pass the bill. Rep. Thomas Massey (R-KY.) announced he would vote against the legislation, and many other Republicans, including Tim Burchett (Ten, Tennessee), Kat Cammack (Fla.), Beth Van Duyne (Texas) and Rich McMick (TEXAS), even after hearing the pitch from Vice President Vance Tuesday morning.
“I want to make sure I'll reduce my spending on the pentagon in the future,” Burchett said Tuesday morning when he asked about his indecisiveness.
Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA.) and Corey Mills (R-FLA.) said they had previously been undecided, while Rep. Tony Gonzalez (R-TEXAS) told reporters whether they would make a “game time decision.”
Meanwhile, Democrats are expected to oppose the law in large numbers. House Minority Leaders Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.), House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), and House Democrat Caucus Speaker Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), all voted against the measure and said they would raise concerns about the law's cuts.
“Hospital Democrats are voting no,” Aguilar told reporters Tuesday, adding that “we are working to make sure all Democrats vote “no” and that they are here and present on the floor.”
These dynamics provide difficult equations for Johnson. If all Democrats vote “No” and there is a full attendance at the Chamber of Commerce, the speaker can only lose one GOP vote and clear the measure.
However, potential democratic absences could change that margin, giving Johnson more breathing chambers. For example, Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) has not left Washington for a few weeks since his cancer diagnosis. It remains unclear if he will be at the Capitol for Tuesday's vote.
Democratic support for the law also helps Johnson take action more than the finish line. Moderate Democrats. Jared Golden (Mayne) and Marie Grusenkamp Perez (Washington) wouldn't say how they plan to vote for the measure when asked by the hill on Monday evening.
“Good night,” Perez said when asked if he would vote for Stop Gup.
Johnson will be optimistic and will have the vote to clear the law Tuesday morning.
“We're going to get the vote,” Johnson said at a press conference. “I pass the CR. We could do it ourselves. But what I'm saying is that Democrats should do something responsible, follow their own advice in all previous scenarios and leave the government open.”
Even if the bill wipes out the House, its fate remains unknown in the Senate. Republican leaders need at least eight Democratic votes to clear the law, as they need 60 votes to defeat Filibuster and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY.) to oppose the measure. While some major Democrats have questioned the measure, a few other Democrats are bringing their cards closer to the best.
