What to know about Speaker Mike Johnson's plan to avert government shutdown
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

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"
