House to Vote on Short-Term Spending Bill to Avert a Shutdown

Speaker Mike Johnson is once again turning to Democrats to supply the bulk of the votes to keep federal funding flowing through Dec. 20.

The House is set on Wednesday to vote on a short-term spending bill that would avert a government shutdown just ahead of the November elections but punt a bigger funding fight to the end of the year.

Unable to break through a wall of conservative opposition to any measure that would not significantly cut federal spending, Speaker Mike Johnson is once again turning to Democrats to supply the bulk of the votes to keep federal funding flowing through Dec. 20.

After it appeared that a critical mass of conservatives could move to block consideration of the bill on the House floor, Mr. Johnson opted to bypass them entirely. He plans to bring the legislation to a vote on Wednesday evening using a special procedure that requires the support of two-thirds of those voting to pass.

It is the continuation of a long-running saga that has bedeviled House Republican leaders, both Mr. Johnson and Speaker Kevin McCarthy before him.

Since gaining control of the House nearly two years ago, Republican leaders have been forced time and time again to rely on Democrats to provide most of the votes on bills to avert shutdowns. A significant number of conservatives in the House G.O.P. conference are fundamentally opposed to legislation that does not mandate deep cuts to federal spending and routinely try to block such measures from even being considered.

Mr. Johnson on Tuesday called the legislation, known as a continuing resolution, “a very narrow, bare-bones C.R. to do only what’s absolutely necessary.”

“It would be political malpractice to shut the government down,” he said. “I think everyone understands that, and so we hope that this will get done quickly, and we get everybody back home to their districts to work into the campaign trail.”

The bill also includes $230 million in additional funding for the Secret Service, which has been asking for more money in the wake of two failed assassination attempts on former President Donald J. Trump, the Republican presidential candidate.

Senator Chuck Schumer, Democrat of New York and the majority leader, said on Tuesday that “once the House acts, the Senate will move quickly to get the C.R. done.” Lawmakers have until midnight on Monday to get the legislation to President Biden’s desk in order to avert a shutdown.

The Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget said on Tuesday that Mr. Biden would sign the bill into law.

Mr. Johnson had previously pushed for a longer-term spending deal that also included legislation requiring that those registering to vote show proof of citizenship. Democrats rejected those demands, and some conservatives in the House joined with them last week to sink their own speaker’s proposal.

Our Coverage of Congress

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