On Friday, the House voted 286-134 in favor of a comprehensive $1.2 trillion government funding bill to avert a government shutdown. The bill now goes to the Senate.
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“All 100 senators will need to greenlight a vote to pass the bill before the midnight deadline,” explains NBC News. “If that doesn’t happen, the government would be forced into a partial shutdown on Saturday morning. President Joe Biden has called on Congress to pass it quickly and said he’ll sign the bill.”
“This hasn’t been a perfect process. But we should never let the perfect be the enemy of the good,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said. “This is a good result for the American people.”
The bill, released early Thursday, funds the departments of Homeland Security, State, Labor, Defense, Health and Human Services and various other agencies. Together with the $459 billion bill passed earlier this month, it fully funds the federal government to the tune of $1.659 trillion through September, after months of stopgap bills and negotiations.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said the impending two-week recess would motivate the Senate to get unanimous consent to vote quickly and pass the bill. “This is the United States Senate,” Murkowski said. “We’re motivated by recesses.”
The legislation was negotiated by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., top appropriators in both parties and the White House. Both parties touted some wins: Democrats said they “defeated outlandish cuts” proposed by Republicans and kept out abortion restrictions. GOP leaders touted more immigration funding for border agents and detention beds for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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A reported 112 Republicans voted against the bill, while only 23 Democrats voted against it. And Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is reportedly so unhappy that she has filed a motion to remove Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) from his position, according to a report from Punchbowl’s Jake Sherman.
BREAKING NEWS — @RepMTG has filed a motion to vacate @SpeakerJohnson, according to multiple sources on the House floor.
Stay tuned for more info…..
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) March 22, 2024
Greene reportedly voiced “extreme opposition” to a $1.2 trillion spending bill prior to her making her move against the Speaker. According to Axios, “Greene isn’t yet forcing the vote to remove Johnson as speaker — but the move lays the groundwork for another historic showdown on the House floor.”
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Last year, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) filed a motion to vacate the speakership after the passage of the stopgap resolution funding the government for another 45 days without new aid for Ukraine.
As I said at the time, given the Republicans’ narrow majority in the House — which is even narrower today — they cannot afford internal conflicts. These conflicts not only hinder the party’s efficacy but also give the united Democrats an edge. This is not a great look, particularly in an election year where many believe Republicans have an uphill battle to keep the majority in the House.
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This story is developing. Check back for more updates.