Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) announced this morning that he will act later today to advance a bipartisan government funding bill after Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) failed to pass a partisan six-month funding measure that was tied to voter registration reform. The six-month funding stopgap was tied to legislation that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration failed Wednesday by a vote of 202 to 220, with 14 Republicans voting against it. Leader Schumer said the Senate will now have to act first to avoid a government shutdown, even though government funding bills are supposed to originate in the House and that he will file cloture on a legislative vehicle that will enable the Senate to prevent a Trump shutdown in the event that the Speaker does not work in a bipartisan, bicameral manner. With funding for many federal departments and agencies due to expire on September 30th, Johnson and other House GOP leaders have yet to unveil any “Plan B” bill that could muster enough votes to pass the lower chamber. GOP senators say they would prefer for Johnson to bring a clean three-month continuing resolution to the floor in the next few days so the House can preserve its traditional role of acting first on funding bills. But they are prepared to work with Senate Democrats to pass a bill first if Johnson can’t muster enough votes to get a funding stopgap passed through the House.
For today, the Senate will consider a motion to invoke cloture on the nomination of Rose E. Jenkins to be a Judge of the United States Tax Court for a term of fifteen years and may also consider H.R.9468, Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act.
The House will take up H.R. 3724 – End Woke Higher Education Act, H.R. 4790 – Prioritizing Economic Growth Over Woke Policies Act and will begin consideration of H.R. 5717 – No Bailout for Sanctuary Cities Act. The House will also consider under suspension of the Rules H.R. 9106 – Enhanced Presidential Security Act of 2024.
