House Republicans shut down Speaker Mike Johnson's attempt to pass the SAVE Act with a continuing resolution meant to prevent a government shutdown, Breitbart reported. The California Republican's effort failed 202-220 after 14 Republicans voted against it and two voted present.
Congress is fighting to fund the government to avoid an impending shutdown as the presidential election looms. In the midst of this fight, Johnson attached the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote, to the continuing resolution bill.
Some Republicans found that problematic and voted down the legislation on Wednesday. One of the main objections was that the spending bill had no significant cuts but impacted defense spending, while others worried it would backfire.
Others felt that attaching it to a voter security measure was only a cheap enticement. Only three Democrats were willing to pass the bill, but it didn't make a dent, with so many Republicans objecting.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was one of the most outspoken opponents of the attempt. In a post to X, formerly Twitter, Greene called it a "classic bait and switch" on Johnson's part.
"This is classic bait and switch that will enrage the base, only one month before the election, when they find out they have been tricked and let down again. 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," Green predicted.
She worried that the shutdown would happen anyway, and President Joe Biden and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would use it against the GOP. "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," Greene wrote.
"Johnson will NOT commit to standing up against the Democrats in a shutdown fight and will allow passage of a clean CR in order to fund the government because he believes a gov shutdown will be blamed on Republicans and will hurt their elections. Johnson is leading a fake fight that he has no intention of actually fighting," Greene charged.
This is classic bait and switch that will enrage the base, only one month before the election, when they find out they have been tricked and let down again.
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… https://t.co/XAGq59ycvT
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) September 17, 2024
According to Fox News, lawmakers supporting the legislation applauded Johnson's attempt to get the government funded through March with this move. By then, the new administration would have to take up the budget issue in earnest.
Johnson wanted the government funding issue off the table but also wanted the SAVE Act passed. Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy has championed the bill and called out fellow Republicans for backing away.
"I would dare any one of my colleagues who are against this plan, come forward with a better plan that we will actually be able to move, pass, and unite the Republican Party to go beat Democrats. Don’t predict failure and then be the reason why we fail – and that’s what some of my friends are doing, unfortunately," Roy said.
Proponents also believe the SAVE Act presents Republicans with a strong starting point for negotiations as the bill moves into the Senate, which has a Democrat majority. Meanwhile, both parties agree that something must be done to prevent the Oct. 1 government shutdown.
The fight over a government shutdown is a familiar one. The SAVE Act may have its merits, but these political games months before a presidential election are too risky, no matter the potential reward.
