The U.S. House of Representatives, under Republican control, has passed a significant $1.2 trillion bill aimed at funding the government through September. With the midnight deadline for a partial government shutdown looming, the Democratic-majority Senate now faces a time crunch to take action.
The resounding 286-134 vote marks the culmination of a protracted struggle spanning over six months regarding the extent of Washington’s spending for the fiscal year, which commenced on October 1st.
However, the decision by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to push the bill through, garnering more support from Democrats than Republicans and bypassing staunch members of his caucus, has drawn criticism from within his party. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has called for Johnson’s removal as leader, according to reports from multiple U.S. media outlets.
This development could potentially echo the events of early October, when a faction of hardline Republicans, displeased with Johnson’s predecessor Kevin McCarthy for passing a temporary funding measure against their objections, ousted him from leadership.
The specter of the last partial federal government shutdown, which occurred during the presidency of Donald Trump from December 22, 2018, until January 25, 2019, looms large. This record-breaking interruption in government services arose as Trump pushed for funding to construct a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border but failed to broker a deal with Democrats.
The comprehensive 1,012-page bill encompasses a broad spectrum of allocations, including $886 billion earmarked for the Defense Department, facilitating a pay raise for U.S. troops. Additionally, it extends funding to agencies such as the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service, the Justice Department, as well as the Treasury and State departments.