Mon Sep 23 17:22:50 UTC 2024: ## House Speaker Johnson Faces Backlash After Temporary Funding Deal

**WASHINGTON** – House Speaker Mike Johnson has been forced to navigate a tightrope walk between appeasing hardline Republicans and preventing a government shutdown, leading to a temporary funding agreement that has drawn criticism from his own party.

Johnson announced a deal on Sunday to keep the government funded until December 20, averting a shutdown before the November election. The bill excludes the controversial SAVE Act, a Donald Trump-endorsed proposal that requires proof of citizenship for voter registration. It also includes concessions to Democrats, such as shortening the funding period from six to three months.

Despite the agreement, Johnson faces backlash from within his own party. Fourteen Republicans previously torpedoed a similar funding bill that included the SAVE Act, and some MAGA figures have criticized Johnson for not pushing harder for their agenda.

“You expect leader Mike Johnson to walk on water or he is not doing his job,” wrote former Minnesota state Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka, defending the Speaker. “Democrats control the Senate and [presidency]. He has to find a compromise with them. AND he has to get his own caucus to agree. Do you have any idea how difficult that is?”

Johnson’s position remains precarious, and his future as Speaker could be at risk. The success of the Republican party in the upcoming election will likely determine his fate, with a larger majority potentially giving him more leverage, but also making him a more tempting target for those seeking his removal.

The House is scheduled to vote on the temporary funding bill on Wednesday.

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