House Speaker Cancels Stopgap Funding Vote Amid Deadlock

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson canceled a key vote on a stopgap funding bill due to insufficient support. The vote, initially set for Wednesday, aimed to prevent a government shutdown before the Sept. 30 deadline. The bill faces opposition from both Democrats and some Republicans.

In a strategic retreat, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson has scrapped a crucial vote on his stopgap funding bill, citing the need for more consensus among the ranks. The decision comes with less than three weeks remaining before the government reaches its shutdown deadline.

Scheduled for Wednesday, the vote was pulled for further deliberation as opposition emerged from multiple quarters, including President Joe Biden and congressional Democrats. With an eye on gaining necessary support, Johnson mentioned that Republicans would continue working through the weekend to finalize a viable bill.

Further complicating the legislative standoff, the proposed bill includes a provision for mandatory proof of citizenship for voter registration—a controversial move seen by Democrats as a partisan tactic to weaken electoral integrity. The ongoing political tussle underscores the internal divisions among House Republicans and foreshadows the looming fiscal challenge of raising the nation's debt ceiling before Jan. 1.

(With inputs from agencies.)