House Republicans Propose Interim Measure To Prevent Government Shutdown And Restrict Noncitizens From Voting.

House Republicans have introduced a stopgap spending bill with the aim of preventing a government shutdown by the end of September. However, the inclusion of a provision targeting noncitizen voting has faced strong criticism from Democrats.

The bill, known as the Continuing Appropriations and Other Matters Act, 2025, has the objective of keeping government agencies operational beyond the funding deadline of September 30. Nevertheless, the addition of the voter verification provision has exacerbated partisan divisions, casting doubts on the bill’s chances of passing in its current form.

“Today, House Republicans are taking a crucial step to ensure the federal government remains funded and to safeguard our federal election process,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) in a statement after the draft text of the stopgap measure, referred to as a continuing resolution, was disclosed. “Congress has a responsibility to accomplish both tasks, and we must ensure that only American citizens have the power to determine American elections.”

Democrats swiftly condemned the proposal, stating that Johnson was wasting valuable time with this measure and repeating the same mistake made by former Speaker McCarthy a year ago. “This tactic didn’t work last September and it will not work this year either,” they remarked. “If Speaker Johnson leads House Republicans down this deeply partisan path, the likelihood of a government shutdown significantly increases.”

The bill also introduces significant changes to voter registration through a section called the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. It mandates individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, or military ID, when registering to vote in federal elections. It also prohibits states from processing voter registrations without this documentation. Additionally, the bill requires states to actively remove noncitizens from voter rolls using databases, including the Department of Homeland Security’s SAVE system.

In addition to voter registration, the bill allocates an extra $10 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), primarily to strengthen the nation’s disaster relief fund. Moreover, it sets aside $47 million for enhanced security measures during Inauguration Day in January 2025, a period that typically calls for substantial federal resources.

Overall, the bill provides temporary funding solutions for numerous federal agencies based on the previous fiscal year’s allocations. This means that it extends funding for items such as defense projects and agricultural initiatives, without initiating new programs or allowing increases in production rates for projects that were not previously funded.