US Faces Imminent Shutdown as Stopgap Spending Bill Fails

The United States is on the brink of a government shutdown after the House of Representatives rejected a stopgap spending bill. The proposal, intended to extend government funding until the end of March, was voted down 220-202.

The bill, backed by Republicans, included a controversial provision requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration, known as the Save Act, advocated by former President Donald Trump. The inclusion of the Save Act faced resistance within the Republican Party and was opposed by Democrats, who argued it would disenfranchise eligible voters.

They pointed out that non-citizens are already prohibited from voting and there is no evidence of widespread illegal voting by non-citizens. House Speaker Mike Johnson had initially postponed the vote, anticipating its failure.

The looming shutdown threatens to furlough hundreds of thousands of federal employees and disrupt public services, including national parks and museums. The current funding is set to expire at the end of September, and without a resolution, the shutdown will commence as the new fiscal year begins on October 1. Lawmakers now face mounting pressure to reach an agreement and prevent the shutdown, which could have significant impacts just weeks before the presidential election.