Predictable: Speaker Johnson caves to Schumer on a spending bill that excluded SAVE Act

by WorldTribune Staff / 247 Real News September 25, 2024

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday handed Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer exactly what he wanted, a three-month spending bill that sends Congress home through the election and ducked on the critical election integrity issue of voting rights for non-citizens.

By so doing, like GOP speakers before him, he saluted the overwhelming corporate media support for Democrat Party priorities and, lacking support from key Republicans, declined to play hardball by allowing a government shutdown.

House Speaker Mike Johnson

Schumer was able to lock in spending levels and major policy priorities before an expected Republican takeover of the Senate.

The bill to fund the government through Dec. 20, notably excluded The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE Act), which would require proof of citizenship for voter registration.

Last week, former President Donald Trump publicly urged Republicans to allow a government shutdown if they are unable to include the SAVE Act in the government funding bill.

“If Republicans don’t get the SAVE Act, and every ounce of it, they should not agree to a Continuing Resolution in any way, shape, or form,” Trump posted on Truth Social on Sept. 18.

“The bill’s passage is a fait accompli. Johnson has teed up a Wednesday evening vote under suspension of the rules, which requires two-thirds support but means he can bypass procedures by which his fellow Republicans who oppose the bill can stop it. The bill will receive overwhelming Democrat support,” Breitbart’s Bradley Jaye noted.

Urgent: Support Free Press Foundation

Schumer announced on Tuesday that he reached an agreement to speed the bill through the Senate.

“I just locked in an agreement to pass the government funding bill tomorrow without amendments, avoiding an unnecessary government shutdown,” Schumer announced.

Johnson argued Republicans would suffer the blame for a shutdown and must pass a continuing resolution (CR) – a stock argument employed by prior Republican Speakers John Boehner and Paul Ryan.

Democrat support of the spending bill is expected to exceed Republican support, despite Republicans holding the majority in the House.

“The Speaker is using the CR to set up a government funding crisis the week before Christmas,” Kentucky Republican Rep. Thomas Massie posted on X. “Why Christmas? So he can pressure Members to vote for a bill they haven’t read, by using their desire to see their families on Christmas Eve against them.”


Help Wanted