Republicans in the House are demanding a vote on a bill to require proof of citizenship for voter registration in exchange for their support for a government funding bill. Democrats have rejected the proposal, setting the stage for a possible government shutdown just weeks before the midterm elections.
House Republicans are threatening to force a government shutdown if Democrats do not agree to vote on a bill to require proof of citizenship for voter registration. The move comes as Congress faces a deadline of October 1 to pass a new spending bill to keep the government operating.
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a leading advocate for the bill, said Tuesday that his constituents care more about having secure elections than the politics of a government shutdown.
House GOP Conservatives Threaten to Force Government Shutdown Over Voter Security Measures
"My constituents want [honest elections], they want a secure border, they don't really give two flying s---s about the government funding," Roy told Fox News Digital in an interview.
Other conservative rebels in the House have joined Roy in pushing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to pair a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government with the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
House GOP Conservatives Threaten to Force Government Shutdown Over Voter Security Measures
The SAVE Act would require all voters to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Democrats have deemed the bill a nonstarter, arguing that it would suppress voter turnout.
Both sides are wary about the optics of a partial government shutdown just weeks before Election Day. But Roy said the blame would lie with Democrats rather than Republicans.
House GOP Conservatives Threaten to Force Government Shutdown Over Voter Security Measures
"I’m not going to play the shutdown game … the press wants to make it about a shutdown. Democrats want to make this about a shutdown," Roy said. "Our point is pretty simple. We’re offering to fund the government – all manners of sin, by the way, in that government…we’re willing to do that, but these guys need to make sure our elections are secure."
"If [Democrats] want to shut the government down, that’s on them."
House GOP Conservatives Threaten to Force Government Shutdown Over Voter Security Measures
Two sources told Fox News Digital on Tuesday that pairing the bill with a CR through March is at least one plan being discussed by House GOP leadership.
Johnson’s office did not return a Friday request for comment on the record on whether that would be his plan. Fox News Digital followed up on Tuesday.
Former President Trump said on Monica Crowley’s podcast last week that House Republicans should "shut down the government" if such a proposal isn’t passed.
Meanwhile, House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole, R-Okla., previously said he would support a CR through December but cast doubt on whether the SAVE Act would be attached, noting any final product would have to pass the Democrat-controlled Senate.
But Roy’s comments are an early warning sign that the fight to fund the government in the next fiscal year could be as messy as last year’s protracted battle that resulted in the ouster of ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.
The potential for a government shutdown comes at a time when the U.S. economy is facing a number of challenges, including inflation, supply chain disruptions, and the ongoing war in Ukraine.
Republicans are hoping to use the government funding process to force Democrats to address their concerns about voter fraud, border security, and other issues. Democrats, meanwhile, are likely to resist these efforts, arguing that they are trying to suppress the vote and undermine democracy.
The outcome of this battle will likely hinge on the willingness of both parties to compromise. If they cannot reach an agreement, a government shutdown could become a reality.
