House Republicans Unveil Stopgap Bill to Fund Government Until November 20

House Republicans have unveiled a stopgap bill that would fund the government until November 20.

The Details: On Tuesday, the House released the text of the stopgap measure, which maintains current spending levels and adds $30 million for member security. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is planning to hold a House vote on Friday on the stopgap bill, and three Republicans have indicated they will vote no: Representatives Victoria Spartz (IN), Warren Davidson (OH), and Thomas Massie (KY). If the measure passes, it will need the support of Democrats in the Senate to reach the needed 60 votes for passage.

Key Quotes: "We need responsible options to keep the government open while all this work continues and Republicans are committed to making that happen," said Speaker Johnson. Representative Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) wrote, "House Republican Leadership has decided they would rather take us to the brink of a shutdown instead of working with Democrats on a bipartisan continuing resolution to keep the government funded, protect Congress' power of the purse, and improve health care."

For Context: The introduction of the stopgap measure begins what could be a drawn-out battle to avoid a government shutdown in two weeks, as a number of Democrats face pressure to resist Trump and let the government shutdown on October 1. Some Democrats are currently demanding a bill that would roll back the changes to the Medicaid program that became law in July, but Speaker Johnson said that debate is not a funding issue but a policy issue that should be addressed in December.

How the Media Covered It: The New York Post (Lean Right bias) focused on challenges with the timing, noting that several Senate Republicans want to attend Charlie Kirk's funeral in Arizona on Sunday and that the Senate is recessed the following week for Rosh Hashanah. CNN (Lean Left bias) reported that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer may have a difficult time selling a government shutdown if hundreds of thousands of federal workers are then forced to work without pay. Sources across the political spectrum mentioned Democratic opposition against the proposal because it doesn't address Medicare cuts.

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