The House on Thursday is voting on a short-term funding bill to avert a partial government shutdown before a Friday deadline.
On Wednesday, House and Senate leaders reached a bipartisan deal to avert a shutdown ahead of a Friday deadline. If the House passes it, the Senate will vote soon after. But the vote only kicks the can down the road for a week.
With Democratic support, the legislation is expected to pass the House. It could face procedural hurdles in the Senate if one member objects to expediting the voting process, potentially pushing a vote past the shutdown deadline.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, speaks during a news conference after a closed-door House Republican caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on February 29, 2024.
Drew Angerer/AFP via Getty Images
The vote marks the fourth time House GOP leaders have put a continuing resolution on the floor since September.
It will be brought up under “suspension of the rules,” which requires a two-third majority vote to pass. This means Speaker Mike Johnson will rely on Democratic votes — a move that put his predecessor Kevin McCarthy in hot water and contributed to his ouster last year.
The Snow Moon sets behind the US Capitol Dome on February 25, 2024, in Washington, DC.
J. David Ake/Getty Images
If it passes, the measure would avert a partial shutdown this Friday of roughly 20% of the government, and create new funding deadlines: March 8 for that 20% and March 22 for the remaining 80%.
Johnson hopes that an additional week gives Congress more time to pass all remaining appropriations bills to fully fund the government through the end of FY2024. It comes after Johnson previously promised there would be no more short-term funding bills.
GOP Whip Tom Emmer announced that House votes are canceled for Friday — meaning members will leave town after the funding bill vote.
The House will be back in session next Tuesday.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate may vote as soon as Thursday night on a short-term government funding bill once it clears the House.
“Once the House acts, I hope the Senate can pass the short-term CR as soon as tonight but that will require all of us working together. There’s certainly no reason this should take a very long time. So, let’s cooperate and get it done quickly,” Schumer said on the floor Thursday.
Schumer said collaboration helped lawmakers reach a deal.
“As I said directly to the speaker over and over and over again, the only way to get things done here is with bipartisanship. And this agreement is another proof point,” he said. “This agreement is proof that when the four leaders work together, when bipartisanship is prioritized, when getting things done for the American people takes a high priority, good things can happen even in divided government. And I hope this sets the stage for Congress to finish the appropriations process in a bipartisan way, very soon.”
ABC News’ Jay O’Brien contributed to this report.