Johnson Scraps Government Funding Plan Amid Republican Scepticism

Capitol Hill sources reporting that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has abandoned his plan to fund the federal government for six months, paired with the contentious SAVE Act.

• Johnson said, ahead of a vote on the package today that was widely expected to fail, that House Republican leadership needs to work through the weekend to “build consensus.”
• The chance of a government shutdown on October 1 remains remote, but Johnson must now thread the needle between his conservative flank and former President Donald Trump, who called on the GOP to shut down the government if the SAVE Act is scrapped, and the moderate flank of his party, which includes a bloc of defence hawks, who want to see a shorter measure that better secures funding for the Pentagon.
• Johnson is also in a bind, as he will need the support of a broad coalition of Republicans, if he is to secure a second term as leader of the GOP caucus in November.
• Rep Corey Mills (R-FL), a fiscally conservative member of the Armed Services and Foreign Affairs committees, said in a statement: “Six months is a long time in politics, but it’s an eternity in geopolitics, where quick responses are critical to countering foreign adversaries threatening to harm U.S. interests.”
• MSNBC notes: "It's unclear what comes next. Neither party wants to shut down the government with 54 days before the Nov. 5 election and lawmakers — particularly those facing tough races — are anxious to return to the campaign trail."