Democrats again helped Republicans pass a short-term government funding bill Wednesday to avoid a government shutdown at the end of the month.
The bill passed 341-82, with 209 Democrats voting in favor. While 82 Republicans voted against the bill, 132 voted for House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose funding plan was rejected last week after Democrats rejected the inclusion of the controversial SAVE Act.
The SAVE Act, promoted by former President Donald Trump, a Republican presidential candidate, would have required proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. Democrats said the measure was unnecessary because voting for noncitizens is already a crime.
Former President Donald Trump had called on congressional Republicans to allow the government shutdown under the SAVE Act before Johnson dropped the provision over the weekend. Although Johnson said he was not “challenging” Trump when asked if the former president would approve the new funding bill, Trump has called several hardline House Republicans in recent days, trying to get a last-minute change to the bill.
The measure is largely an extension of current funding levels, but includes $231 million in additional aid to the Secret Service to help protect presidential candidates during the election.
Later Wednesday, the Senate passed the bill by a 78-18 margin and sent it to President Joe Biden for his signature.
Ahead of the House vote, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries noted that House Democrats have repeatedly helped Republicans avoid shutdowns during the current Congress.
“Can anyone name one thing that the extremist MAGA Republicans in the House of Representatives have done to improve the lives of the American people? One thing? One,” he asked. “Can the American people name one thing that the extremist MAGA Republicans have done to improve their lives? Zero. So that’s the record that will be presented to the American people,” he said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson meets with reporters after a closed-door caucus with fellow Republicans, on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 24, 2024.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
Johnson said Trump “understands the current dilemma” with House Republicans and said “there is no difference between us.”
The White House and congressional Democrats have all criticized Johnson’s attempt to tie voter eligibility legislation to government funding, noting that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.
The short-term, “clean” measure aimed at avoiding a government shutdown has been welcomed by Democratic leaders and the Biden administration.
“Americans can take comfort in the fact that both sides have chosen bipartisanship and Congress is doing its job,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. “We will keep the government open. We will prevent critical government services from being needlessly shut down. We will give lawmakers more time to fully fund the government before the end of the year. And I am especially pleased that we got the job done with some time on our hands.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer, joined by Katherine Clark, right, speaks about the Affordable Care Act during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, September 25, 2024.
Ben Curtis/AP
In addition to funding the government through Dec. 20, the bill includes money to replenish FEMA and $231 million for the U.S. Secret Service following an apparent second assassination attempt on Trump.
ABC News’ Allison Pecorin contributed to this report.
