Biden would veto GOP government funding proposal, White House says

The White House on Monday said President Biden would veto a Republican stopgap funding proposal, attacking House GOP leaders for choosing “brinksmanship” over finding a bipartisan solution to avert a shutdown.

In a statement of administration policy, the White House said the proposal put forward by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), which would fund the government for six months, would insufficiently fund government agencies and could lead to “severe disruptions to several critical Government services.”

The White House also called the proposal “especially irresponsible in matters of National Security as a 6-month CR would erode our military advantage relative to the People’s Republic of China, degrade readiness, and fail to provide the support our troops deserve.”

“The Administration urges House Republicans to engage in a bipartisan process that keeps
the Government open and provide much needed emergency disaster funding for
Americans who are trying to rebuild,” the White House added.

Johnson in recent days unveiled government funding legislation, which pairs a six-month continuing resolution with a bill backed by former President Trump to require proof of citizenship to register to vote, titled the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act.

The White House called the voting proposal “unrelated cynical legislation,” and Democrats have more broadly called the legislation unnecessary because it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal elections.

The length of the stopgap would punt the next funding battle into March, when Republicans are hopeful Trump will be back in the White House and can put his stamp on negotiations.

Republicans can afford to lose only four of their own members if all Democrats vote “no” on the continuing resolution. At least two GOP lawmakers — Reps. Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Matt Rosendale (Mont.) — have already come out against the legislation, and other Republicans have expressed skepticism about his strategy.