Washington CNN —
House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday called for Democrats’ help in passing a stopgap budget bill amid some Republican defections, and the House passed a resolution to avert a government shutdown.
The bill, which must be passed by the Senate, would fund the government until December 20, setting up a chaotic, major fight over spending at the end of the year. The political landscape will be very different by then, in the wake of the November election, and Parliament will face big deadlines not just on funding but on other key priorities. The outcome of the election will determine how strong or weak a position Johnson ends up in in spending negotiations.
The Senate is expected to vote to pass the stopgap budget bill late Wednesday night, after which it will be sent to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
For Johnson, the spending issue highlights the ongoing struggle of Louisiana Republicans trying to balance performing the basic functions of governing while staving off an all-out rebellion on the right — a key concern for vulnerable, especially moderate lawmakers in battleground districts with just weeks to go until the election.
“Shutting down the government is bad governance and bad politics,” Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican from Nebraska, told CNN about Johnson’s call. “I think he’s doing the right thing.”
Further complicating the political calculus, Johnson has had to contend with demands from Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who has called for a government shutdown unless Republicans secure passage of the SAVE Act, a controversial bill targeting foreign voting, alongside a government budget. Several Republicans have told Trump and his team that a shutdown would not only jeopardize his ability to retain his House majority, but also his ability to flip the White House, according to Republicans and senior aides.
Last week, Johnson tried to push through a plan that included a six-month spending bill and the SAVE Act, but the bill ultimately met resistance from conservatives who said they were opposed to a short-term spending bill at all. Several other Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee also opposed it because they would not approve new funding for the Defense Department.
“I like the plan that was put forward last week. Unfortunately we didn’t get the votes to support it,” House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, told CNN. “I’m not going to vote for it. I think Mike’s doing a good job. He’s in a tough spot.”
Johnson needed significant Democratic support Wednesday to make up for dissenting votes within his own Republican conference.
While Johnson’s reliance on Democratic votes has once again exposed him to criticism from the right, few Republicans expect any immediate political fallout for him. Republicans say he will not suffer the same fate as his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was ousted by Republicans about a year ago after working with Democrats to avert a government shutdown.
That’s partly because Mr. Johnson has sought to maintain existing relationships within his party while pushing an unpopular bill. The day after his leadership announced the plan, Mr. Johnson personally attended a meeting of the House Freedom Caucus to discuss the lack of other options to avoid shutting down the government, according to a person familiar with the matter.
But it is unclear whether Johnson has been able to convince any ultra-conservative Republicans who normally oppose government funding bills to change their positions.
“It’s the same old story again,” said Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Scott Perry, a former Freedom Caucus chairman, who said he opposed the budget bill.
Still, Johnson acknowledged that with Democrats controlling the Senate, he had no other choice. “Nobody wants that, but we don’t have many options,” he said.
Johnson said he believes Trump understands House Republicans don’t have the votes to pass the SAVE Act, and the speaker insisted Monday that he’s not worried about potentially losing his speakership over the funding push.
“We have to make some tough decisions in leadership. This is our last option,” Johnson said. “Nobody likes it, but we can’t shut down the government 39 days before an election. That would be political rigging.”
The administration’s spending bill does not include the SAVE Act, but it does include an additional $231 million for the U.S. Secret Service to help protect 2024 presidential candidates after lawmakers called for more funding following two assassination attempts on President Trump.
The postponement of the funding deadline until late December raises questions about what strategies lawmakers will pursue to prevent holiday shutdowns.
Many lawmakers, particularly conservatives, are opposed to a large spending package known as an omnibus budget, but congressional leaders could face pressure to take that route or pass yet another short-term extension.
Johnson promised his colleagues in a private meeting on Tuesday morning that he wouldn’t let the caucus approve the dreaded end-of-year spending bill, but even his aides privately say they see no other realistic options if narrowly divided House Republicans can’t agree on a spending plan.
“Tough times require tough decisions, and that’s what’s happening now,” Johnson said, vowing to “fight” for Republican priorities during the lame-duck period.
“I’m not going to do a Christmas anthology,” he said after the meeting. “Absolutely not.”
Johnson’s fight over government funding is sure to play a major role in this fall’s Republican leadership race, which is expected to take place immediately after the November election.
As the intraparty fight looms, Johnson’s leadership has been working to strengthen relationships with House Republicans, with several GOP lawmakers highlighting the outreach of House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.
For example, Emmer’s team recently gave several House Republicans personally engraved hockey sticks to thank them for their service to the House. At least two Republicans received the sticks shortly after voting against a GOP stopgap spending bill, according to two GOP officials familiar with the matter.
“Hockey memorabilia is a long-standing tradition for Emmer, given as a small token of appreciation to members of the House Republican team,” said a third person familiar with the activity.
CNN’s Ted Barrett, Annie Grayer and Morgan Rimmer contributed to this report.
