Source: Washington Post
“The House on Wednesday rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to fund the government for six months, cranking up tensions around a fast-approaching government shutdown deadline not only throughout Congress but also within Republicans’ brittle House majority. Fourteen Republicans joined with Democrats to block Johnson’s bill, which combined a six-month extension of federal funds at current spending levels with a measure the House already passed requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote in national elections. The Democratic-controlled Senate and the White House oppose the House bill, because of the length of the extension and because of the registration provisions. Funding for the federal government expires Sept. 30, and without an extension, most federal government operations would shut down Oct. 1 as millions of Americans begin early voting in November’s election.” (09/18/24)