Government shutdown may soon end after funding bill overcomes opposition

Government Shutdown Progresses as Legislation Moves Forward

The ongoing government shutdown has reached its fourth day, but there seems to be a path to resolution as House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) has rallied nearly all House Republicans to support a new bill.

On Tuesday morning, the Senate’s federal funding proposal made substantial progress by passing a “rules vote” in the full House, which now allows lawmakers to debate the legislation, with a final vote anticipated early afternoon.

This development follows two House conservatives stepping back from their previous threats to deride the bill during the rules vote unless it included an unrelated election integrity measure known as the Save America Act.

A rules vote is essentially a preliminary test of support for a bill before it is fully approved and is usually influenced by party lines, regardless of bipartisan backing for the legislation.

Interestingly, some House Democrats are expected to lend their support for the funding bill, despite strong opposition from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

Johnson had the challenging task of navigating a slim majority to persuade nearly all House Republicans to unite in advancing the bill.

Earlier, on September 30, Democrats opted out of a bipartisan agreement intended to fund the federal government through the end of the 2026 fiscal year, mainly due to disagreements over a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill amid President Donald Trump’s handling of riots in Minneapolis.

This situation left around 78% of the annual government budget in limbo. The DHS funding proposal encompasses a larger package that includes financing for several departments, including Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Education.

The recent agreement between Senate Democrats and the White House intends to maintain current funding levels for DHS until February 13, while fully funding other government sectors, allowing more time for both parties to devise a long-term bipartisan plan.

Even with many House Republicans on board, a couple of members, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) and Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), have stated they will not back the bill without the Save America Act attached.

The Save America Act proposes requirements like voter ID at polling stations and new proof of citizenship criteria during the voter registration process. However, incorporating it would necessitate sending the bill back to the Senate for further approval, which, according to Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, is unlikely to pass.

In a twist, Luna mentioned that she and Burchett had reassured Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) during discussions on Monday night that they would support the current agreement, as they’ve received certain promises from the White House to push forward on the Save America Act.

“With the current agreement and discussions we have, we are both in favor of this rule,” Luna stated. She also highlighted the possibility of utilizing a standing filibuster to showcase voter identification cards on the Senate floor, indicating that those discussions seem promising.