House Speaker Mike Johnson: House Republicans are devising a two-step strategy to secure government funding and avert a shutdown as the deadline approaches this Friday. The plan was announced by newly elected House Speaker Mike Johnson during a GOP conference call, where he emphasized the need for a solution to address the current funding situation.
Johnson’s two-step plan includes the following key points:
- First Bill (Until January 19): This bill would extend funding until January 19 and cover essential areas such as military construction, Veterans Affairs, transportation, housing, and the Energy Department.
- Second Bill (Until February 2): The second part of the bill would extend funding until February 2, encompassing the rest of the government’s functions.
Notably, the plan does not include the deep spending cuts advocated by some right-wing members. The two-step approach was favored by Republican hardliners but faced skepticism from some senators who deemed it a complex solution.
While Democrats have expressed openness to Johnson’s funding plan, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized it as a potential source of “more Republican chaos and more shutdowns.”
The two-step approach allows Johnson to navigate the internal divisions within the GOP and sets the stage for a floor debate. However, challenges remain as Johnson must secure support for a rule to establish debate parameters, and potential opposition from Republican hardliners could complicate the approval process.
House Speaker Mike Johnson urgency to pass a spending plan is heightened by the impending deadline, and failure to do so by Friday could lead to a partial government shutdown. Democrats, while critical of the two-step strategy, acknowledge that Johnson’s plan avoided the inclusion of spending cuts, a point that had been contentious.
The situation remains fluid, and the level of Democratic support for the plan will significantly influence the GOP’s floor strategy in the coming days. Source thedailycourierng news
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