House passes Speaker Johnson’s continuing resolution in first step to avoid shutdown

Despite staunch conservative opposition, the House passed Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) two-step continuing resolution to keep the government funded just days before the shutdown deadline, sending it to the Senate, which is expected to pass the bill.

The continuing resolution had no spending cuts or conservative policy riders attached to it, which led to more Democrats supporting the legislation than Republicans. It passed 336-95, with 93 Republicans voting against it.

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“This legislation is necessary to avoid a harmful government shutdown,” said Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) in urging Republicans to back the short-term funding plan.

While House Democrats called the approach flawed, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) ultimately supported the plan, and Democrats gave Johnson the two-thirds votes necessary to pass the bill under suspension of the rules.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

“Once again, the Republican majority needs Democratic votes to govern,” Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said ahead of the vote.

The bill would extend the Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Energy and Water appropriations bills until Jan. 19 and the remaining eight bills until Feb. 2.

The idea behind this two-step approach is that it would create a sense of urgency to pass individual appropriations bills during the time frame and avoid an omnibus or another continuing resolution. Then, Congress would focus on passing the first four appropriations bills before Jan. 19, and then after that, it would focus on getting the remaining bills passed before the February deadline.

The bill does not include any aid to Ukraine or Israel and does not provide for an extension to Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act 702 authorities. However, it does provide for an extension to the expired farm bill provisions through September 2024.

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The measure is expected to pass the Senate and be signed into law by President Joe Biden to avoid a government shutdown at midnight Friday.

Now, the race is on to pass all 12 appropriations bills by the two deadlines, which some are skeptical can happen in time as the House Republican Conference has had trouble agreeing on appropriations bills all Congress.