Sep 17, 2024 - Politics & Policy

Johnson revives vote on doomed-to-fail stopgap

Juliegrace Brufke

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 12: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) returns to his office at the U.S. Capitol on September 12, 2024 in Washington, DC. With 19 days until the federal funding deadline, Speaker Johnson pushed a six-month stopgap bill with the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Ac — Speaker Mike Johnson at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 12, 2024. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is once again planning a vote on his six-month stopgap spending bill that includes a crackdown on non-citizen voting — even though he still lacks the support to get it passed.

Why it matters: The clock is ticking ahead of a potential Sept. 30 funding lapse, and the vote — as of now planned for Wednesday —could end up being a way for Johnson to move past a proposal hardliners in his party are pushing.

The measure has picked up little, if any support since Johnson pulled it last week, according to sources familiar with the matter.
At least nine GOP lawmakers publicly came out against the proposal, despite pressure from former President Trump get behind it.

The big picture: "Congress has an immediate obligation to do two things: responsibly fund the federal government, and ensure the security of our elections," Johnson said in a post on X announcing the vote.

"I urge all of my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the people of this county rightfully demand and deserve - prevent non-American citizens from voting in American elections," he added.

What we're watching: With the bill still short of the necessary votes — even after leadership worked the phones last weekend to rally support for it — some Republicans expressed skepticism the vote would actually occur.

"That's the current plan but who knows," one lawmaker told Axios about the latest development, first reported by Punchbowl.

The big picture: Even if Johnson somehow succeeds this time around, the bill would be dead-on-arrival in the Senate, where Democrats who control that chamber are broadly opposed.

Democrats and the White House are pushing for clean, three-month stopgap bill.

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional reporting.

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Johnson revives vote on doomed-to-fail stopgap

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