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House to vote on Johnson’s plan to avert shutdown — but he’ll need Democratic support

The House is about to vote Tuesday afternoon on Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to avert a central authority shutdown simply days forward of a Friday time limit.

But on account of opposition from hard-line Republicans, he’s going to have to depend on dozens of Democratic votes to move his unconventional concept with the wanted two-thirds majority.

Johnson huddled with Republicans at the back of closed doorways Tuesday morning, giving one ultimate pitch for his two-step proposal prior to he places it on the ground for a vote later within the day.

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PHOTO: Rep. Chip Roy is shown at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the hard-right Freedom Caucus, heads to a closed-door assembly of the House Republican Conference forward of a an important vote on a unbroken answer to stay the federal government funded at its present ranges, on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

J. Scott Applewhite/AP

But a number of left the assembly unmoved. Rep. Andy Ogles of Tennessee known as Johnson’s plan a “surrender.” Texas Rep. Chip Roy known as it a “mistake.”

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At a later news convention, ABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Rachel Scott requested Johnson about the ones Republicans outraged about his going ahead.

“We’re not surrendering, we’re fighting but you have to be wise about choosing the fights. …You got to fight fights that you can win, and we’re going to and you’re going to see this House majority stand together on our principle,” he stated.

PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson meets with reporters at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson meets with journalists forward of a an important vote on a unbroken answer to stay the federal government funded at its present ranges, a measure now not heartily supported by way of the challenging correct wing of his celebration, on the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

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Mariam Zuhaib/AP

“Look, it took decades to get into this mess, right, I’ve been at the job less than three weeks, right? …I can’t turn an aircraft carrier overnight. But this was a very important first step to get us to the next stage so that we can change how Washington works,” he added.

Meanwhile, some Democrats are calling this a victory.

After their assembly Tuesday morning, House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar stated House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and different Democrats had been nonetheless comparing Johnson’s proceeding answer.

“We have not taken a family position on the bill,” Aguilar stated.

“And I think the concern is Speaker Johnson — this is very similar to the position we had been before. He is bleeding votes within his conference,” he stated. “There is no prospect of him delivering the votes to achieve this success to achieve the continuing resolution.”

PHOTO: House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks to reporters during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9, 2023.

House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries speaks to journalists throughout a press convention on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9, 2023.

Sarah Silbiger/Reuters

“Our caucus still has questions about what that path ahead is,” he stated.

The irony is that Johnson is pushing ahead with the similar form of stopgap plan that led to Kevin McCarthy being ousted as speaker.

Still, some Republicans are signaling they are keen to give Johnson a smash.

“Speaker Johnson came in kind of like the backup quarterback, you can’t blame him for the score of the game when he enters the game,” Rep. Dan Meuser or Pennsylvania stated.

Other Republicans recognize the realities of a divided executive and a deeply divided celebration.

“In the Republican conference, you couldn’t get 217 of us to agree that today’s Tuesday,” Rep. Troy Nehls stated.

“Mike is having to reach out to the Democrats, because you can’t get the Republicans to agree on anything,” he added.

PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, joined by way of different GOP participants, speaks throughout a presser on his proposed two-tier proceeding answer (CR) to stay the federal government from shutting down, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 14, 2023.

Ken Cedeno/UPI by means of Shutterstock

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer stated Tuesday morning he used to be “very heartened” by way of Johnson’s executive investment proposal, and stated that he and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell would paintings to transfer the stopgap invoice to the ground expeditiously if the House passes it Tuesday.

“We’ll see over the course of how the House moves today whether it comes forward, when it comes here, if the House should pass it and I hope they do,” Schumer stated. “Leader McConnell and I will figure out the best way to get this done quickly. Neither McConnell nor I want a shut down.”

Schumer has embraced the House proposal as it does now not come with any spending cuts.

“The proposal before the House does two things Democrats pushed for,” Schumer stated. “One: not making the hard-right cuts that the MAGA wing demands and second, making sure that if they are going to do this sort of goofy ladder that defense is in the second part of the ladder — not the first.”

Schumer used to be requested about his smash from the White House, which at the start disregarded the GOP proposal as “unserious.”

“I think that we all want to avoid a shutdown, I’ve talked to the White House and both of us agree, the White House and myself, that if this can avoid a shutdown, it would be a good thing.”

McConnell gave a ringing endorsement of the House stopgap investment proposal Tuesday, and stated he appears to be like ahead to passing the invoice into legislation if it clears the House. He stated he used to be “happy for” Johnson and that he “looks forward to passing the short term bill on a bipartisan basis.”

“It’s nice to see us working together to prevent a government shutdown and to deal with all of the other big issues that we have ahead of us during this period between now and the time the CR expires,” McConnell stated.

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