Rebeka Zeljko
Republican lawmakers are again criticizing Speaker Mike Johnson after he announced Tuesday that he would reintroduce the same funding bill he pulled from the House floor last week with a new addition.
Johnson took the continuing resolution off the floor to “build consensus” after nearly a dozen Republican lawmakers came out against the funding bill, citing concerns about the country’s growing debt. Johnson announced that he would reintroduce the same continuing resolution (CR) on Wednesday but would attach a separate bill known as the SAVE Act, which would require proof of citizenship for voting, which has since been met with similar backlash from his GOP colleagues who point out that it does not address their initial issue.
“Like an undead but doomed zombie, the CR+Save Act is back,” Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky said in a post on X. “Speaker Johnson is fake fighting by attaching a bright shiny object (that he will later abandon) to a bill that continues our path of destructive spending. I won’t be any part of this insulting charade. I’m a hell no.”
“Congress has an immediate obligation to do two things: responsibly fund the federal government, and ensure the security of our elections,” Johnson said in the announcement. “Because we owe this to our constituents, we will move forward on Wednesday with a vote on the 6-month CR with the SAVE Act attached. I urge all of my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the people of this county rightfully demand and deserve — prevent non-American citizens from voting in American elections.”
“Your bill does NOT responsibly fund government,” Massie said in response to Johsnon’s announcement. “It’s 12 bills rolled into one bill that continues the profligate spending that’s ruining our country. The fact that you’ve added a 13th bill to it does not make it a serious solution. Please quit insulting our constituents.”
The SAVE Act was initially spearheaded by Republican Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, requiring individuals to provide proof of citizenship to register as voters. The bill already passed the House in July, with five vulnerable Democrats defecting and voting alongside 216 Republicans to support it.
“The only way to make the SAVE Act a law would be to refuse to pass a CR until the Senate agrees to pass the SAVE Act and Biden agrees to sign it into law,” Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia said in a post on X. “This would force a Gov shutdown on Oct 1 because Biden and Schumer both said they will shutdown the government as they are that adamant against the SAVE Act.”
“I refuse to lie to anyone that this plan will work and it’s already DOA this week,” Greene continued. “Speaker Johnson needs to go to the Democrats, who he has worked with the entire time, to get the votes he needs to do what he is already planning to do.”
Massie and Greene, as well as Republican Reps. Beth Van Duyne of Texas, Wesley Hunt of Texas, Greg Steube of Florida, Jim Banks of Indiana, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Matt Rosendale of Montana, Cory Mills of Florida and House Armed Services Chair Mike Rogers had all confirmed their initial opposition to the CR before Johnson decided to shelve the bill.
“Congress cannot continue kicking the can down the road while our national debt skyrockets, our border remains wide open, and Biden and Kamala’s radical policies remain FULLY funded,” Rosendale, who has never voted for a CR, said in a post on X. “I have always and will ALWAYS be a NO on a Continuing Resolution!”
The national debt surpassed $35 trillion for the first time in American history in July, with some Republicans attributing the dramatic gain in the past few years to high spending policies from the Biden-Harris Administration.
“Florida’s 7th District did not send me to DC to play the same song & dance,” Mills said in a post on X. “We must secure our borders, force government to be fiscally responsible, and protect our elections. The SAVE Act passed July 10, 2024, and attaching to the Pelosi level spending bills isn’t going to force the Senate to pass it.”
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