Mike Johnson’s spending plan is already in trouble. It was doomed in the Senate from the start, but now there are fresh doubts that he can even get it through the House.
The speaker announced last week that he planned to link a government funding bill to legislation that would require proof of citizenship to register to vote. The package would keep spending levels mostly steady, punting a government shutdown deadline currently set to hit on Oct. 1 to March 28.
Johnson wants to hold a House vote Wednesday on that bill, hoping to give conservatives a symbolic preelection win even if Senate Democrats tank it after. But the GOP leader is facing two pockets of intraparty resistance.
First, there are conservatives who oppose short-term spending bills on principle and are unconvinced by the citizenship add on. Plus, some defense-hawks are worried the six-month stopgap bill would have a negative impact on the Pentagon, after defense officials said as much over the weekend.
