Democrats bash GOP’s funding patch, warn Speaker Johnson’s plan may mean partial shutdown

Congressional Democrats and the White House slammed House Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal for a funding patch to keep the government open and warned that the partisan measure would go nowhere.

Mr. Johnson, Louisiana Republican, unveiled his stopgap bill Friday, proposing to kick the government spending fight to late March and including legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote.

While Democrats appeared fine with the timing of the measure, they took issue with the addition of the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act and with the lack of extra funding for the Veterans Affairs Department and natural disasters. 

“There is a clear, bipartisan path to responsibly fund the government, but instead, congressional Republicans are wasting time,” said Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young in a statement. “Their six-month [stopgap] approach ignores pressing needs that have real consequences for our defense, our veterans and our communities.” 

While Republicans did introduce a separate supplemental spending package that would address $3 billion of the $15 billion total shortfall for Veterans Affairs, Democrats want more.

VA officials warned Congress in July that they expected to outspend their current and next year’s budget because of a surge in veterans seeking benefits because of toxic exposure.

“Even with the introduction of a separate supplemental funding bill, House Republicans are jeopardizing their care by kicking the can down the road until March and failing to fulfill the promises we made to veterans exposed to toxic substances,” said Connecticut Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

As for disaster aid funding, the stopgap does include $10 billion to refill the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s dwindling coffers, yet it doesn’t include additional funding requested by the Biden administration. 

The White House wants more funding to rebuild the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

While the SAVE Act passed the House this year with the aid of five Democrats, their support of this stopgap is not guaranteed. That means he will need near unanimity among the GOP to pass the stopgap, but that will be a difficult task. 

Some Republicans fear that while Mr. Johnson’s plan will force Democrats to go on record again regarding the SAVE Act, it’s a political gamble that could drive the government to partially shut down. 

The measure is slated for review in the House Rules Committee, meaning that a vote on the floor could come by the middle of next week.