Biden, Congressional Democrats Threaten To Fight Johnson on Spending Plan

The White House has already said that Johnson’s proposed spending deal would be vetoed if it reached the Oval Office.

Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Speaker Johnson leaves a House Republican caucus meeting at the U.S. Capitol on February 6, 2024. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

President Biden and congressional Democrats are threatening to fight Speaker Johnson on his proposed spending deal that would push the typical budget schedule to March 2025 from the end of September this year. The administration says forcing the new president, whether it be President Trump or Vice President Harris, to deal with funding the government just weeks into his or her term would threaten the country’s national security. 

The White House said Monday that Mr. Biden would veto Mr. Johnson’s proposed spending agreement, according to Punchbowl News. Mr. Johnson is pushing for a six-month extension of government funding, until the end of March 2025, from the annual deadline of September 30.

After negotiating with Senator Schumer on key cuts to the budget, Mr. Johnson went ahead with his own plan and decided to add the SAVE Act as an amendment to the bill. The legislation would require individuals to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote.

“As we have said repeatedly, avoiding a government shutdown requires bipartisanship, not a bill drawn up by one party,” Mr. Schumer said in a joint statement with the chairwoman of the Appropriations Committee, Senator Murray. They say he is “making the same mistake as former Speaker McCarthy did a year ago, by wasting precious time catering to the hard MAGA right.”

If the speaker continues down the current path, Mr. Schumer said “Americans will know that the responsibility of a shutdown will be on the House Republicans.”

It is unclear if even House Republicans will be able to pass the spending bill on their own. The SAVE Act — which Mr. Johnson agreed to attach to the continuing resolution after being urged to do so by conservative members — would have no chance of passing through the Senate in time for the government shutdown deadline of September 30 this year. Congressman Chip Roy, the author of the bill, said House Republicans should push for it regardless, and make Democrats answer for their “no” votes back at home on the campaign trail. 

Some of Mr. Roy’s conservative colleagues, including those in the House Freedom Caucus, say they don’t care about the SAVE Act being attached to the funding deal. They are refusing to vote for an omnibus spending bill that does not make meaningful cuts. 

“You know what I would say to each and every one of them who are my friends, what the hell are you going to do? Right? That’s what I want to hear,” Mr. Roy told Fox Business on Monday. “What are you going to do?”

The White House described Mr. Johnson’s plan as “brinksmanship.”

The greatest concerns for the White House on Mr. Johnson’s six-month extension, known as a continuing resolution, are the lack of funding for certain disaster relief programs, tax enforcement, and expedited hiring at the Department of Veterans Affairs. Administration officials also note that simply extending current Pentagon funding levels will leave the military underprepared for any moves made by foreign adversaries. 


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

or
By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use