Speaker Johnson Proposes ‘Two-Step’ Measure To Avert Government Shutdown

 House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced a “two-step” short-term spending measure to avoid a government shutdown.

The plan reportedly would give certain federal agencies money through the middle of January while others would get funds through early February, allowing lawmakers in the House and Senate more time to hash out longer-term spending legislation. The deadline is November 17.

“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 post to X on Saturday. “The bill will stop the absurd holiday-season omnibus tradition of massive, loaded up spending bills introduced right before the Christmas recess.”

Johnson also noted that separating the continuing resolution from supplemental funding debates, such as the one related to Israel, puts the GOP in a stronger position “to fight for fiscal responsibility, oversight over Ukraine aid, and meaningful policy changes at our Southern border.”

Not all Republicans were on board with the proposal. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) appeared frustrated because the plan would continue funding the government at current spending levels.

 

“It’s a 100% clean. And I 100% oppose,” Roy said in one post to X. “My opposition to the clean CR just announced by [Johnson] cannot be overstated. Funding Pelosi level spending & policies for 75 days – for future ‘promises.'” he said in another, referring to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

House Republicans can only afford to lose a handful of votes in the House for the proposal to pass, or they will need Democrats to join with them to approve the measure. Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) got voted out as speaker last month after he pushed through a 45-day continuing resolution with bipartisan support.

In the Senate, which the Democrats control, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) announced last week that he was setting up a vote on a stopgap bill to fund the government while urging the GOP-led House not to add “poison pills” or spending cuts that would not get bipartisan support.

The White House released a statement opposing Johnson’s idea, with Press Secretary Karine-Jean Pierre calling the proposal “a recipe for more Republican chaos and more shutdowns.”