Last Friday the clock struck 12:00 and there was no budget for 75% of the US Government but relief was at hand. At 2:00am the Senate passed the so-called mini-bus appropriations bill that completes the funding process for fiscal year 2024 that started on October 1, of last year. This means that the government shutdown threat is taken off the table until the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1.
Friday saw a hectic rush to get the legislation passed and to the White House. The day started with a contentious vote in the House. A group of Freedom Caucus conservative Republicans were upset that the Speaker violated the internal Republican Caucus 72 hour rule for a bill to be available before a vote. Arguing that the bill was over 1,000 pages long, there was not time to give it an appropriate review. However, most of the bill had been available for months as the various government departments had had their budgets reviewed.
As with any compromise bill no one side got everything they wanted. Democrats got some additional funding for early childhood education and nutrition programs, while Republicans were successful in increasing the number of illegal immigrant detention beds from 34,000 to 42,000 and an additional 22,000 border agents. Republicans also succeeded in keeping funding for the UN refugee agency UNRWA out of the bill and inserted language that prohibits US Embassies from flying any flag but the US flag (i.e., no LGBTQ flags), and a prohibition on rules banning gas stoves – a pet issue for some Republicans.
The final vote in the House was 286YES to 134NO. As the bill was considered under the parliamentary procedure known as suspending the rules, a 2/3rds majority was needed and achieved. Republicans split 101Yes to 112NO while Democrats split 185Yes to 22NO. The Republican NO votes were from conservatives who wanted less money and more social policy riders, while the Democratic NO votes came from progressives who opposed no money for the UN refugee programs, some military aid for Israel, and wanted more money for social welfare programs.
After House passage, the bill was taken to the Senate where technically passage was required by midnight to prevent a shutdown. However, the White House made clear that with the weekend there would be flexibility with timing. The problem Leader Schumer faced was that the House had already left town for their two-week break and any change in the legislation would have required another vote by the House. Republicans wanted to add provisions to strengthen the border and kick out any illegal immigrant who had a criminal record. They did force Democrats to vote on these hot bottom issues, but the provisions were defeated and at 2AM the Senate passed the bill on a vote of 72YES to 24NO. Only two Democrats voted NO: Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders due to the Gaza refugee issue, and Colorado Senator Michael Bennett who wanted money for Ukraine.
As in the House, a group of conservative Republicans opposed the bill with 22 voting NO. But the remaining Republicans voted YES. Saturday morning President Biden signed the bill.
Move to vacate Speaker’s office
Anger from some conservative Republicans led Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG) to file a motion to vacate the Speaker’s office. This was the tool used to force former Speaker Kevin McCarthy from office.
The immediate reaction was mixed with many Republicans wanting nothing to do with MTG’s move. The House adjourned for two weeks immediately after the vote on the budget and is not returning until Monday, April 8. MTG didn’t say when she might ask for a vote on her motion, but the House must vote within two days of her asking for the vote. She has said she will wait until there is an agreed upon candidate for Speaker. Allowing just one Member to call for a motion to vacate the Speakership was part of the deal Kevin McCarthy struck to win the Speaker’s vote in January of 2023.
Democrats could well hold the keys to the future of Mike Johnson’s tenure as Speaker. In the past they have not played a role and voted for their leader Hakeem Jeffries on Speaker votes, but there has been some discussion of helping Johnson, especially if he takes action to allow a vote on the Senate passed legislation to giver military support to Israel and Ukraine.
House Republican margin shrinks
On Friday, when business concluded, Colorado Republican Ken Buck officially quit, and on the same day Wisconsin Representative Mike Gallagher (R, WI) announced his intention of leaving on April 19. The loss of Gallagher with current vacancies will bring the House breakdown to 217Rs to 213Ds. As a bill dies on a tie vote, this gives Speaker Johnson only a one seat majority until some of the vacancies are filled.
