Government shutdown threat looms over Congress' return

**Washington** — Lawmakers return to Capitol Hill on Monday after an extended August recess, facing a critical three-week period to prevent a government shutdown.

Congress has until October 1 to secure government funding before the pre-Election Day rush begins. Given the tight timeline, lawmakers are expected to pass a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government operational, postponing the debate over full-year funding.

Last week, House Republicans began laying out their strategy for the funding negotiations. They propose a continuing resolution to maintain government funding through March 28, coupled with a controversial bill addressing non-citizen voting that Democrats broadly oppose. Speaker Mike Johnson discussed this approach with House Republicans last week, unveiling the bill text on Friday.

The proposed legislation, known as the SAVE Act, would mandate proof of citizenship for voter registration in federal elections. The House Freedom Caucus has pushed for this bill as part of the spending negotiations, despite current law restricting voting to U.S. citizens.

Johnson argued that this move is essential for both funding the government and safeguarding election integrity, stating, "Congress has a responsibility to do both, and we must ensure that only American citizens can decide American elections." The House could vote on the measure as soon as Wednesday, but its passage remains uncertain.

In July, five Democrats joined the slim Republican majority in approving the voting measure. However, combining it with a funding bill is likely to face strong resistance from the broader Democratic Party. The White House has condemned the approach, accusing House Republicans of engaging in brinksmanship and asserting that the voting legislation would complicate voter registration without improving election security. The Office of Management and Budget indicated that President Biden would veto the measure if it reached his desk.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the move as "unserious and unacceptable," while Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democratic appropriator in the Senate, emphasized that avoiding a shutdown requires bipartisan cooperation. They warned that if Speaker Johnson follows a partisan route, it could significantly increase the risk of a shutdown, placing responsibility on House Republicans.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the Democratic chair of the House Appropriations Committee, accused House Republicans of steering the appropriations process in a partisan direction and refusing to negotiate with Democrats. She suggested that a stopgap measure extending through December would be more beneficial, hoping that the majority does not lead the country toward a shutdown.

A short-term continuing resolution is expected, but the duration of such a measure is still uncertain. Johnson has indicated that he prefers avoiding the typical pre-holiday omnibus package that Congress often uses for funding, according to sources.

Postponing the funding deadline until the new year could benefit Republicans if they gain control of the White House or Senate. Some Republicans see potential leverage if former President Donald Trump returns to office, which could influence future funding negotiations. However, this strategy could also lead to a contentious spending battle early in the next administration.

This funding debate follows last year's crisis that led to the unprecedented ouster of former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, highlighting the high stakes of upcoming funding negotiations.

How united House Republicans will remain is yet to be seen. Some Republicans, like Rep. Matt Rosendale of Montana, have already voiced concerns, calling the plan a "messaging bill" that neither advances a short-term funding solution nor addresses the deficit. "I wasn't sent to Washington to deliver disingenuous and dishonest messaging bills," Rosendale said.