House Speaker Johnson’s August budget sprint faces hurdles

House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson, are working to pass two major budget measures before Congress leaves for the August recess, but deep divisions within the Republican Party and strong Democratic opposition make their success uncertain, The Washington Post reports.

The first proposal is a temporary funding bill that would keep the government open through Dec. 4 and avoid a government shutdown before the November elections. However, many conservative Republicans want the bill to include the Save America Act, which would require proof of U.S. citizenship, government-issued photo identification and stricter rules for mail-in voting. 

Democrats oppose these provisions, and several Senate Republicans have also criticized the proposal, making its passage unlikely.

The second proposal is a $95 billion reconciliation package that would provide $73 billion for the Pentagon, $12 billion for farmers and $10 billion for election-related programs. House Republicans hope to use the package to advance parts of the Save America Act because reconciliation could allow the measure to pass the Senate without Democratic support. 

However, Senate rules require reconciliation provisions to have a direct effect on the federal budget, creating legal and procedural obstacles. The package has also divided Republicans, with defense hawks arguing that the proposed military funding falls well short of President Trump’s original request, while other Republicans question approving additional funding for the unpopular war with Iran. 

Fiscal conservatives are also concerned that the proposal would add $95 billion to a national debt that already exceeds $39 trillion because it does not include offsetting spending cuts. Republican leaders have avoided major reductions to social programs, fearing political backlash. 

The Washington Post has the full story. This story may require a subscription.