A proposed six-month continuing resolution proposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) was defeated by a vote of 202-220, with 14 Republicans joining 206 Democrats to bring it down.The bill, which has also drawn opposition from the Pentagon, looked doomed as early as last week when Johnson had to pull it from floor consideration after losing support among key Republicans.
Two Republicans, Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) voted “present,” while Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME), Don Davis (D-NC), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) were the only Democrats to support the CR, which Johnson proposed with a voting security measure attached to it. Among the Republicans who voted against the CR was House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers (R-AL).
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said Republicans should view the defeat as a clear signal that Congress needs to begin bipartisan negotiations for a “clean” CR.
“Everyone in Washington, Democrats and Republicans, knew this ill-conceived continuing resolution was destined to fail,” she said in a statement. “Why we spent a week and a half considering a partisan bill, just days from a government shutdown, is beyond comprehension.”
The federal government is scheduled to partially shutdown on Oct. 1 if Congress does not pass a CR.
Meanwhile, former President Trump has posted on social media that Republicans should refuse to vote for any CR that does not have the voting security bill attached to it. Today’s failed vote, however, shows that Johnson cannot pass the bill in the House and the Democratic majority in the Senate has already said it is dead-on-arrival.
DeLauro, who with other Democrats seeks a three-month CR, noted the ticking clock.
“We have seven legislative days to keep the government open,” DeLauro said. “The time to begin negotiations on a continuing resolution that can gain the support of Democrats and Republicans in the House and Senate was last week -- but right now will suffice, if Republicans are willing to meet us at the table and actually govern.”
After the vote, Johnson said the GOP would “draw up another play, and we'll come up with a solution.”
“I'm already talking to colleagues about their many ideas,” he said. “We have time to fix the situation, and we'll get right to it. I'm disappointed. I know this was the right thing to do and I think the American people are going to let a lot of the folks that voted no tonight hear their concerns about it.”