(PatriotNews.net) – Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized his Republican colleagues for “wasting precious time” after House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, unveiled a plan to prevent a government shutdown. The plan, which was announced on Sunday, aims to keep the government funded through December 20, with a vote expected as early as Wednesday.
This agreement comes after weeks of uncertainty over whether a shutdown could be avoided before the fiscal year ends on September 30. Without a deal, the government would have shut down on October 1.
In a statement released Sunday evening, Schumer accused Speaker Johnson of delaying progress. “While I am pleased bipartisan negotiations led to a government funding agreement free of cuts and poison pills, this same agreement could have been reached two weeks ago,” Schumer said.
Schumer was referring to Johnson’s earlier attempt to pass a more Republican-favored resolution, which aimed to extend funding for six months. That plan failed last week in a 202-220 vote, leaving Congress scrambling to reach a deal.
Schumer argued that Johnson “chose to follow the MAGA way and wasted precious time” by pushing a plan that was unlikely to succeed. He emphasized that bipartisan cooperation was the only way to move forward.
Johnson also tried to pass the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, a Republican-backed bill that would require proof of citizenship for voter registration. However, the final funding agreement, which leans closer to the Senate Democrats’ proposals, did not include the SAVE Act. This omission is likely to upset the ultra-conservative House Freedom Caucus.
The proposed bill also allocates $231 million to the U.S. Secret Service, with a condition that the agency cooperates with ongoing congressional investigations.
While Schumer was critical of the time spent on partisan efforts, the agreement represents a step toward avoiding a shutdown. The plan still requires a vote to be fully implemented, but it signals that both parties may be willing to compromise to keep the government running into the end of the year.
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