House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled a bill on Saturday (March 8) to fund the government through September 30, aiming to prevent a potential shutdown on March 14. The bill, which maintains funding levels from the Biden administration, seeks to buy time for President Donald Trump and GOP leaders to advance key agenda items this summer.
Johnson plans to hold a vote on the 99-page bill on Tuesday.
The bill is described as a “clean” continuing resolution (CR), which provides about $892.5 billion in defense spending and $708 billion in non-defense spending, with the latter being 8% below the previous year’s level. It does not include additional emergency funding or earmarks.
President Trump supports the measure, which could help secure Republican votes, despite opposition from ultraconservatives who typically dislike stopgap measures.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and other Democrats oppose the bill, preferring a long-term negotiated deal. Jeffries stated that Republicans would need to pass the bill without Democratic support. If the bill passes the House, it will pressure Senate Democrats to approve it. However, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats prefer continued negotiations.
The Republican majority in the House is slim, and just two Republican defections could derail the CR. In the Senate, Republicans would need seven Democratic votes to overcome a filibuster.
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