Page 3 - aruba-today-20240911

A3
U.S. NEWS Wednesday 11 september 2024
Speaker Johnson pushes ahead on funding bill with proof of

citizenship mandate despite dim prospects

By KEVIN FREKING ing, and the shiny object at-
Associated Press tached to it will be dropped
WASHINGTON (AP) — like a hot potato before
House Speaker Mike John- passage," Massie said.
son vowed Tuesday to Republicans can afford to
press ahead with requiring lose only four votes from
proof of citizenship for new their ranks if every Demo-
voters as part of a bill to crat votes against the bill.
avoid a partial government Republican presidential
shutdown in three weeks, nominee Donald Trump on
though the measure ap- Tuesday seemingly encour-
peared likely to be voted aged a government shut-
down. down if Republicans in the
Democrats overwhelm- House and Senate "don't
ingly oppose the measure. get assurances on Election
Enough Republicans were Security." He said on the so-
also coming out against cial media platform Truth
the bill, though for different Social that they should not
reasons, that its prospects go forward with a continu-
of passing the House ap- ing resolution without such
peared dim. Even if it does House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., talks to reporters as he arrives at the Capitol in Washington, assurances.
pass the House on Wednes- Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. Senate Republican lead-
day, the bill would go no- Associated Press er Mitch McConnell dis-
where in the Senate. verify voters' eligibility and said on X that the continu- to Americans' intelligence." agreed when asked about
Johnson said the issue of maintain accurate voter ing resolution was "an insult "The CR doesn't cut spend- Trump's post.q
election security is too rolls.
critical to ignore, though "Is it any surprise that the
research has shown that speaker's purely partisan
voting by non-citizens is ex- CR seems to be running into
tremely rare. It's also clear trouble?" Senate Major-
that Republicans see value ity Leader Chuck Schumer
in making House Democrats said, using Washington
take another vote on the is- parlance for the short-term
sue. The House approved a continuing resolution need-
bill with the proof of citizen- ed to prevent a shutdown.
ship mandate back in July "The answer is very simple.
"If you have a few thou- The House should stop wast-
sand illegals participate in ing time on a CR proposal
the election in the wrong that cannot become law."
place, you can change the Schumer called on John-
makeup of Congress and son to consult with Demo-
you can affect the presi- cratic leaders and the
dential election," Johnson White House on a biparti-
said. "The American people san package that can pass
understand that." both chambers.
The first test for the stopgap A few House Republicans
spending bill came Tues- have also come out against
day with a 209-206 vote the bill. Some won't vote for
that kept it moving ahead. any continuing resolution.
But some Republicans who They want Congress to re-
have said they will oppose turn to passing the dozen
the bill on final passage al- annual appropriations bills
lowed it to proceed. individually. Others say the
The measure includes a six- continuing resolution funds
month extension of federal programs at levels they
funding to keep agencies consider inappropriate at
and programs operating a time of nearly $2 trillion
through March 28. annual deficits.
But Democrats want a "I'm a firm no on bankrupt-
shorter-term extension so ing the nation and a yes
that the current Congress on election integrity," said
will set full-year spending Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla., in an-
levels for fiscal year 2025 nouncing his opposition.
rather than the next presi- Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn.,
dent and Congress. They said Republican leadership
also want the proof of citi- was asking him to vote for
zenship mandate stripped what he called "a Nancy
out of the bill, saying it's Pelosi-Schumer budget."
unnecessary because "I just think that's a bad
states already have effec- idea," Burchett said.
tive safeguards in place to Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.,