Speaker Johnson Advances Controversial Funding Bill to Avert Government Shutdown

The proposed six-month stopgap measure includes a contentious voter proof-of-citizenship requirement, facing strong opposition from both parties.

House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing for a vote on a six-month stopgap funding bill to prevent a government shutdown on Oct. 1.
The bill includes the SAVE Act, which mandates proof of citizenship to register to vote in federal elections, a measure opposed by Democrats and some Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has declared the bill dead on arrival in the Senate and called for a bipartisan plan instead.
Johnson faces internal GOP divisions, with some members opposing the short-term funding approach and others concerned about the bill's impact on defense funding.
Former President Donald Trump has pressured Johnson to include the election security measure, complicating efforts to pass a clean funding extension.