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The majority of Democratic representatives in the US House voted for a temporary spending bill to prevent a government shutdown, outnumbering Republican votes.
209 Democrats supported the bill, while 127 Republicans backed a “laddered” continuing resolution that would fund certain parts of the government until January 19, 2024 and other parts until February 2, 2024.
The decision was in favor of Speaker Mike Johnson, who suggested the two-part strategy as a way to prevent passing a large spending bill, and instead pass 12 separate bills, as requested by conservative members of the House Republican conference.
The decision was made after Democratic leaders in the House, such as Hakeem Jeffries, Katherine Clark, and Pete Aguilar, showed their approval for the bill. They stated that they backed the bill because it did not involve any significant reductions.
House Democrats have emphasized the importance of a continuing resolution that aligns with the fiscal year 2023 spending level, does not include damaging reductions, and is not influenced by extreme right-wing policy riders. In a collective statement, they confirmed their backing of the current continuing resolution being considered by the House.
Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and a representative from Washington, stated to The Independent that she was pleased that the bill did not contain any reductions in spending.
She expressed her opinion that the concept of a two-step procedure is absurd, but she was relieved that the government would not be shut down and there would be no reductions in spending or harmful conditions.
The bill will now move to the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has shown willingness to consider it despite his previous criticisms. During a press conference on Tuesday, Mr. Schumer stated that Mr. Johnson had agreed to the terms requested by Mr. Schumer.
“One, not making the heartbreak cuts that the MAGA right demands,” he told reporters. “And second, making sure that if they’re going to do this sort of goofy ladder, that defense is in the second part of the ladder, not the first.”
Several Republicans from areas that voted for both President Joe Biden and swing districts supported the bill.
Rep Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ) expressed concern about the potential government shutdown, stating that it is not financially feasible. He emphasized the importance of paying border patrol agents and keeping the government functioning. He also stated that more time is needed to address the issue.
Representative Mike Lawler stated that the excerpt demonstrated Mr. Johnson’s talent.
“It is clear that this is a significant milestone for him as a speaker, demonstrating our ability to lead and accomplish major tasks, such as this one,” he stated.
A number of conservative Republicans objected to the method, but chose not to directly criticize Mr Johnson. Representative Ken Buck (R-CO), who was among seven other Republicans who voted to remove Kevin McCarthy as speaker, stated that Mr Johnson was dealing with a unique situation.
According to The Independent, Kevin was aware that we were behind schedule on the appropriations bills. Now, Johnson has inherited this issue and must take action.
Representative Chip Roy from Texas stated to journalists that he was displeased with the way the bill was approved.
“We should pass a bill that has strong backing from the Republican party,” he stated. “While it did have support from the majority of Republicans, it was not by a large margin and I can assure you that many of those who voted yes were not pleased with it.”
The legislation is now on its way to the Senate, with Mr. Schumer stating that it could be passed swiftly.
Source: the-independent.com
