US House Republicans unveil 3-month stopgap bill to avert government shutdown

There will be a partial US government shutdown if Congress doesn’t pass a stopgap bill by September 30

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US House Speaker Mike Johnson, centre, at the Capitol in Washington on Friday. Photo: AP

Published: 6:18am, 23 Sep 2024Updated: 4:54pm, 23 Sep 2024

Republican US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Sunday proposed a three-month stopgap funding bill that excludes an immigration-related measure demanded by Donald Trump, as lawmakers look to avert a month-end partial government shutdown.

Johnson laid out the plan in a letter to colleagues released just eight days before the government’s current US$1.2 trillion in discretionary funding runs out on September 30. The chamber will aim to vote on the measure on Wednesday, according to a source with knowledge of the plan.

Failure to act by then would furlough thousands of federal workers and shut down a wide swathe of government operations weeks before the November 5 election.

The proposal, which excludes a Trump demand to impose new requirements that people provide proof of citizenship to register to vote, is aligned with what Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer had urged, a basic extension of government funding to December. It runs until December 20.

US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. Photo: AFP

“As history has taught and current polling affirms, shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice,” Johnson said in the letter.

Democrats, including Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, expressed optimism a bipartisan deal could be reached.