Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) defied the objections of the majority of House Republicans and pushed through a substantial $1.2 trillion government funding plan. This move not only violated the Hastert Rule, which was put in place to prevent Republican Speakers from collaborating with Democrats to pass legislation, but also crossed a dangerous line for the future of his speakership.
Despite facing opposition from 112 Republican colleagues, Johnson proceeded to send the bill to the Senate with only 101 Republican votes in favor. It is worth noting that Johnson and his leadership team exerted significant pressure to secure these votes. In addition to breaking the Hastert Rule, Johnson also disregarded a House rule that allows lawmakers sufficient time to review legislation before voting on it. The spending bill, which spanned over 1,000 pages, was presented to members less than 36 hours before the vote, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The bill will now move on to the Senate, where efforts are underway to overcome obstacles and pass it as soon as possible. While a partial government shutdown would technically commence on Saturday morning after midnight, its significant impact would not be felt until Monday.
Ahead of the vote,