House Advances Bill to End Government Shutdown as GOP Wrestles with Vote
House Advances Bill to End Government Shutdown as GOP Wrestles with Vote
The House narrowly approves a funding package to end the shutdown, as Speaker Johnson navigates a razor-thin majority and last-minute GOP dissent.
The House narrowly approved a funding package aimed at ending the government shutdown, passing 217-215 in a vote that underscored the GOP's razor-thin hold on power.
Speaker Mike Johnson is steering the measure through a divided caucus, hoping to reopen most agencies after the Senate approved a version that modified Homeland Security funding with a two-week stopgap.
Key objections linger among hardline Republicans who want the SAVE Act, a voter-ID measure, folded into the package, creating a hurdle before a floor vote. The House Rules Committee met to set the rules for debate on the stopgap funding, a step necessary before moving the bill to the floor.
Democrats resisted quick concessions, complicating a rapid path to a final deal, even as the party remains outside the talks. The GOP majority shrank further when Democrat Christian Menefee won a Houston-area district, reflecting shifting political dynamics.
As of Saturday morning, the government remains partially shut, with the White House urging a durable compromise. Analysts say the coming days will test Johnson's leadership and the party's unity as lawmakers balance the risks of a longer shutdown against concessions desired by their caucuses.
