Sept. 19 (UPI) — House Republicans expect to hold a vote Friday on legislation that would fund the government through Nov. 21, but a battle over Affordable Care Act subsidies could upend the plans in the Senate.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., said Thursday he expects he’ll have the votes needed to pass the continuing resolution just as he did in March’s CR vote.
“We’re going to get this government funded,” he told reporters, according to NPR. “We’re going to keep the funding going and our appropriators will have more time to do their work.”
With a six-vote majority, House Republicans are likely to pass the CR, but things are less certain in the Senate, where the GOP can afford to lose only two votes.
An unnamed leader among House Republicans told The Hill that the party will attempt to force Senate Democrats into going along with the CR by refusing to return to business in Congress until Oct. 1. Congress is on a break next week in observance of Rosh Hashanah, but House Republicans have also canceled votes previously scheduled for Sept. 29 and Sept. 30.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York ended up striking a deal with Republicans and voted in favor of the March CR to avoid a government shutdown at the time. He could block the bill currently under consideration with a filibuster.
Both Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York have promised to vote against the CR. They cited the need to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year.
“We will not support a partisan spending bill that Republicans are trying to jam down the throats of the American people that continues to gut healthcare,” Jeffries said Tuesday.
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, expressed support for the CR on a post on Truth Social.
“Congressional Republicans, including [Senate Republican] Leader John Thune and Speaker Mike Johnson, are working on a short term “CLEAN” extension of Government Funding to stop Cryin’ Chuck Schumer from shutting down the Government,” Trump posted on his social media site.
“In times like these, Republicans have to stick TOGETHER to fight back against the Radical Left Democrat demands, and vote “YES!” on both Votes needed to pass a Clean CRP this week out of the House of Representatives. Democrats want the Government to shut down. Republicans want the Government to OPEN.”
