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The U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a spending bill that would avert an impending government shutdown.
The bill — spearheaded by newly-elected Speaker Mike Johnson — got a 336-95 vote, overcoming resistance from the more conservative faction of the Republican party who lamented cooperation with Democrats.
More Democrats voted for the bill than Republicans, with only two Democrats voting against.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters he wants to pass the bill in his chamber “as soon as possible.”
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Far-right Republicans ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy in October after negotiating with Democrats to raise the federal debt limit.
Johnson gained the support from the voting bloc that ousted McCarthy, but he used the same tactics of putting together bipartisan legislation after it became clear he could not rely only on his party to pass the spending bill.
“I want to cut spending right now and I would like to put policy riders” on the bill, Johnson said ahead of the vote on Tuesday. “But when you have a three-vote majority — as we do right now — we don’t have the votes to be able to advance that right now. So what we need to do is avoid the government shutdown.”
The House Freedom Caucus, which represents the GOP hardliners, opposed the spending bill.
“It contains no spending reductions, no border security and not a single meaningful win for the American people,” the group wrote in a statement ahead of the vote. “Republicans must stop negotiating against ourselves over fears of what the Senate may do with the promise ‘roll over today and we’ll fight tomorrow.’”
The group, however, added that they will “remain committed to working with Speaker Johnson.”
“The status quo in Washington is destroying this republic, and the American people did not elect a Republican majority to continue it,” Chip Roy (R-Texas), one of the most vocal opponents against the bill, said in a statement after the vote. “Unfortunately, that is exactly what this continued resolution does.”
