House approves funding bill 336-95 to keep government open for now

Members of the House of Representatives voted 336-95 Tuesday to approve a continuing resolution to keep the government open past this weekend. 

A total of 93 Republicans and 2 Democrats voted against the measure.

The resolution now proceeds to the Senate for approval.

Under the unusual measure, different parts of government funding will expire at different times. Some of the federal government will be funded through Jan. 19, 2024, while military and other agencies will remain funded through Feb. 2. 

The measure "puts House Republicans in the best position to fight for conservative policy victories," said House Speaker Mike Johnson after the vote. "The innovative two-step approach takes Washington’s preferred Christmas omnibus monstrosity off the table, shifts the government funding paradigm moving forward, and enhances our ability to rein in the Biden administration’s failed policies and government spending."

While this "laddered" continuing resolution was originally preferred by conservative members of the House Freedom Caucus, the group came out opposed to Johnson's proposal. The group is mostly upset that spending cuts are not included. 

But Johnson said his priority was to keep the government open. 

"That would unduly harm the American people," Johnson said about a government shutdown. "Troops wouldn't be paid. You know, we know all the effects of that. And so we have to avoid that."

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"For now, I am pleased that Speaker Johnson seems to be moving in our direction by advancing a CR that doesn't include the highly partisan cuts the Democrats have warned against," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of the vote. "The speaker’s proposal is far from perfect, but the most important thing is that it refrains from making steep cuts while also extending funding for defense in the second tranche of bills in February, not the first in January."

This is the second time this fall the government neared a shutdown. Congress voted in late September to keep the government funded through mid-November at previous spending levels. While enough House Republicans joined Democrats in pushing through funding, the vote prompted Republicans to force Kevin McCarthy out of the speakership. The result was a weekslong battle that ultimately elevated Johnson to the speakership.