With a potential government shutdown fast approaching, the House voted 217 to 213 on Tuesday to approve a short-term spending bill that would fund the government through the end of September.
One Democrat voted with Republicans to approve the bill, which includes a slight increase for defense spending and cuts to domestic programs, including some health care and veterans programs. One Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, voted no.
Republicans stuck together under pressure from President Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who view the legislation as a necessary step to clear up time for Republicans to work on other legislation advancing their agenda. Many Democrats said the bill amounts to a blank check for Trump, who has been unwilling to commit to spending money as Congress dictates through appropriations.
The bill puts significant pressure on Democrats in the Senate whose votes will be needed in order to pass the bill and avoid a shutdown. The federal government runs out of money at the end of the day on Friday and House members planned to leave Washington immediately after Tuesday’s vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., predicted “we’ll have the votes” Tuesday morning, telling reporters in the Capitol the GOP would pass the so-called continuing resolution or CR on their own later in the day.
But heading into the vote it was unclear if Johnson would be able to muscle the GOP-crafted bill through the chamber with his slim margin and with Democrats vowing to oppose the bill.
“House Democrats will not be complicit in the Republican effort to hurt the American people,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters Monday evening. Jeffries and other Democrats argued the measure cuts health care programs and veterans’…
Read the full article here
