As Congress prepares for another potential battle over government funding, House Democrats are trying to prevent members from breaking ranks and voting for the bill proposed by Republicans to fund the government past the September deadline, Axios reported, citing Democrat sources.
Democrats said they are looking at how Republicans respond to the bill proposed by House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. With Republicans having a slim majority, Johnson might need help from Democrats to pass his bill.
Three senior Democrat sources told Axios they expect a full whip operation against the Republican spending bill, which features the SAVE Act, a bill to prevent non-citizens from voting in federal elections. Non-citizens are already barred from voting in federal elections.
Democrats hope to prevent members in battleground districts from voting for the bill and also want to deny Republicans from arguing the Democrat-controlled Senate should vote on the spending package, Axios reported.
House Republicans are expected to vote on the measure as soon as early next week on a continuing resolution that would keep the government funded until March. Republicans will begin whipping the bill on Monday, Axios reported.
Conservatives hope to move the spending fight to March to give a potential Trump administration the chance to negotiate its own spending package, rather than pass a lame-duck spending bill at the end of the year, Axios said.
The SAVE Act previously passed the House with support from five Democrats but has not received a vote in the Senate.
Unless Congress approves funding legislation by Sept. 30, the government will shut down.