Speaker Johnson’s funding bill with voter integrity add-on defeated in House; 14 Republicans vote with Democrats

Fourteen Republicans voted Wednesday with Democrats of the U.S. House of Representatives to defeat a bill meant to fund the government and avoid a shutdown at the end of the month.

The funding measure failed by a vote of 220 to 202.

‘The play that we ran tonight was the right play. … I’m very disappointed that it didn’t pass.’

Three Democrats crossed the aisle and voted with Republicans in favor of the bill.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana had tied an election integrity bill to the funding legislation in an attempt to pressure Democrats to pass it all at once.

“It is members across the conference who share the same concern that we do about this,” said Johnson about the SAVE Act earlier in September. “And we believe it’s one of the — perhaps the most urgent issue, the most imminent threat facing the country, is the integrity of this election cycle.”

After the bill failed Wednesday, Johnson spoke to reporters.

“The play that we ran tonight was the right play. It’s the right play for the American people. It’s the one they demand and deserve,” he said.

“We have two very important objectives right now,” he continued. “Congress has an obligation to fund the government. Congress has an obligation to ensure that our elections are secure, fair and free. This vote tonight could have accomplished both. I’m very disappointed that it didn’t pass.”

Earlier in the day, former President Donald Trump demanded that Republicans refuse to fund the government without passing the voter integrity bill.

“If Republicans don’t get the SAVE Act, and every ounce of it, they should not agree to a Continuing Resolution in any way, shape, or form,” he wrote on Truth Social. “A Vote must happen BEFORE the Election, not AFTER the Election when it is too late. BE SMART, REPUBLICANS…”

The election bill would require proof of citizenship before voting, but Democrats claim election fraud is already illegal and the new law would only prevent legal voters from turning in their ballot.

“In reality, the SAVE Act would make it harder for millions of legal citizens to register to vote,” read a statement from Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois. “Americans would not be able to use military IDs or Tribal IDs alone when registering to vote. People who have changed their names, including millions of married women, would not be allowed to use their birth certificates when proving their citizenship.”

The government will shut down in 13 days on Oct. 1 unless legislators can agree on a funding bill.

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