Republican Leaders Rally Support as Critical Vote Looms to End Partial Government Shutdown

In Washington, Speaker Mike Johnson faces a crucial test as he attempts to execute former President Donald Trump’s strategy to secure government funding. On Tuesday, the House will hold a procedural vote on a bill aimed at ending the ongoing partial shutdown.

For the plan to move forward, Johnson requires nearly unanimous backing from his Republican colleagues. With every member present, he can only afford the defection of one Republican in party-line votes. However, some lawmakers are threatening to derail the initiative unless their demands are addressed. Trump has expressed his stance via social media, urging, “There can be NO CHANGES at this time.”

Trump emphasized the importance of cooperation, stating, “We must address the concerns raised collaboratively, yet avoid a prolonged, unnecessary shutdown that would severely harm our nation—benefiting neither Republicans nor Democrats. I urge everyone to vote YES!”

The proposed legislation seeks to conclude the partial government shutdown that began on Saturday. It intends to fund the majority of federal operations through September 30, while granting the Department of Homeland Security a two-week extension to negotiate potential reforms, particularly concerning the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Running Trump’s ‘play call’

During an appearance on “Fox News Sunday,” Johnson acknowledged that adopting this approach was Trump’s strategy, noting that Trump aimed to “lower the intensity of the situation.” Despite this, GOP leaders still appeared to be rallying their members as lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Monday after a recess in their districts.

“We always work till the midnight hour to get the votes,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. “You never start the process with everybody on board. You work through it, and you could say that about every major bill we’ve passed.”

The funding package passed the Senate on Friday. Trump says he’ll sign it immediately if it passes the House. Some Democrats are expected to vote for the final bill, but not for the initial procedural measure setting the terms for the House debate, making it the tougher test for Johnson and the White House.

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries has made clear that Democrats wouldn’t help Republicans out of their procedural jam, even though Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer helped negotiate the funding bill.

Jeffries noted that the procedural vote covers a variety of issues that most Democrats oppose, including resolutions to hold former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress over the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.

“If they have some massive mandate,” Jeffries said of Republicans, “then go pass your rule, which includes toxic bills that we don’t support.”

Key differences from the last shutdown

The path to the current partial shutdown differs from the fall impasse, which affected more agencies and lasted a record 43 days.

Then, the debate was over extending temporary, COVID-era subsidies for those who get health coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Democrats were unsuccessful in getting those subsidies included as part of a package to end the shutdown.

Congress has made important progress since then, passing six of the 12 annual appropriations bills that fund federal agencies and programs. That includes important programs such as nutrition assistance and fully operating national parks and historic sites. They are funded through Sept. 30.

But the remaining unpassed bills represent roughly three-quarters of federal spending, including the Department of Defense. Service members and federal workers could miss paychecks depending upon the length of the current funding lapse.

Voting bill becomes last-minute obstacle

Some House Republicans have demanded that the funding package include legislation requiring voters to show proof of citizenship before they are eligible to participate in elections. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., had said the legislation, known as the SAVE Act, must be included in the appropriations package.

But Luna appeared to drop her objections late Monday, writing on social media that she had spoken with Trump about a “pathway forward” for the voting bill in the Senate that would keep the government open.

The Brennan Center for Justice, a think tank focused on democracy and voting rights issues, said the voting bill’s passage would mean that Americans would need to produce a passport or birth certificate to register to vote, and that at least 21 million votes lack ready access to those papers.

“If House Republicans add the SAVE Act to the bipartisan appropriations package it will lead to another prolonged Trump government shutdown,” Schumer said. “Let’s be clear, the SAVE Act is not about securing our elections. It is about suppressing voters.”

Johnson has operated with a thin majority throughout his tenure as speaker. But with Saturday’s special election in Texas, the Republican majority stands at a threadbare 218-214, shrinking the GOP’s ability to withstand defections.