US House set to vote to avert government shutdown, first major test for Speaker Johnson
Mike Johnson
Newly elected Speaker of the US House of Representatives Mike Johnson will face the first major test of his tenure on Tuesday (November 14) as he undertakes a risky manoeuvre braving the opposition of fellow Republicans and relying on Democratic votes to avert a government shutdown.
A vote is set to take place on Tuesday afternoon on a stopgap spending bill. If passed, the bill would extend US government funding beyond November 17. The threat of a government shutdown looms if a spending bill is not passed by this date.
Johnson, a Republican Party member himself, is facing opposition from right-wing within his own party. Johnson has chosen to put the bill to vote on the House floor. This enables him to avoid any procedural roadblock but for the bill to pass, a two-thirds vote is needed. If the support falls short, it may well be the death knell for the spending plan very close to the November 17 deadline.
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Also, a two-thirds vote will mean that support from Democratic Party lawmakers would be needed.
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"Getting us beyond the shutdown and making sure that government stays in operation is a matter of conscience for all of us," Johnson said at a press conference.
The government shutdown, if it happens, will be the fourth in a decade. To avoid this, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democratic-led US Senate should agree on legislation for President Biden to sign before November 17.
Democratic lawmakers in the House have hinted that they would support Johnson's plan. They are happy that the plan does not involve deep spending cuts or policies that could create controversies.
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However, opposition from within the Republican Party may mean that 30 to 40 of its lawmakers in the House may vote against the bill.
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The Republican Party has a slim 221-213 majority. In case the legislation is opposed by Democrats, Johnson can only afford to lose three Republican votes. But since Democrats have reacted positively, Johnson may have some room to manoeuvre in the face of opposition from a section of Republicans.
"When you have a small majority, it requires some things are going to have to be bipartisan," Johnson said.
(With inputs from agencies)