What to know about Speaker Mike Johnson's plan to avert government shutdown
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Mike Johnson at the U.S. Capitol on Oct. 26 in Washington, DC. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) last-minute approach to avoiding a government shutdown is gaining steam on Capitol Hill, where it's expected to get a vote on Tuesday.
The big picture: With a Friday deadline, the Louisiana Republican is taking an unusual approach through a two-tiered stopgap that extends 2023 funding levels into early 2024.
Catch up quick: This is the second stopgap effort this fall, after Republicans voted in late September to punt the appropriations fight into November, leading to then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy's (R-Calif.) ouster in early October.
- Republicans have been struggling to pass individual appropriations bills, even though they chose Johnson in part because he promised to make sure all the bills are passed each year.
- Some Republicans have expressed opposition to Johnson's plan to avert a shutdown. These include Freedom Caucus members Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Chip Roy (R-Texas) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio).
State of play: The "laddered" continuing resolution could create a two-track negotiation in 2024 as funds for some programs will last into January, and others until February.
- "This two-step continuing resolution is a necessary bill to place House Republicans in the best position to fight for conservative victories," Johnson said in a statement.
- "The bill will stop the absurd holiday-season omnibus tradition of massive, loaded up spending bills introduced right before the Christmas recess.
- If the laddered approach fails, Johnson told House Republicans this weekend that his fallback option is a stopgap bill through the 2024 elections.
Details: The first track would provide funding until Jan. 19 and include appropriations for agriculture, military construction and Veterans Affairs, energy and water.
- The second track, which includes the other appropriations bills, would last until Feb. 2.
- Additional funding to Israel or Ukraine isn't included in the stopgap.
What's next: Democrats are signaling they're open to Johnson's plan.
- Senate Majority Leader Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Monday the continuing resolution "does not include the highly partisan cuts that Democrats have warned against."
Go deeper: Murphy calls Mike Johnson's government funding plan "gimmicky"
