Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) passed a massive $1.2 trillion government funding plan despite the objections of the majority of House Republicans, violating the Hastert Rule and crossing the Rubicon into dangerous territory for the future of his speakership.
House Republicans enacted the longstanding rule to prohibit Republican Speakers from colluding with Democrats to pass legislation. But Johnson sent the bill to the Senate despite the objections of 112 Republican colleagues, with only 101 Republican votes in favor, although Johnson and his leadership team applied significant pressure.
Johnson also broke a House rule intended to give lawmakers time to review legislation before a vote. The 1,000-plus page spending bill was presented to members before 3:00 a.m. Eastern on Thursday morning, less than 36 hours before the vote.
The bill now goes to the Senate, which is working to clear hurdles and enable the bill to pass as soon as today. A partial government shutdown would technically begin Saturday morning after midnight, although no significant effects would be felt until Monday.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed a motion to vacate the chair in the moments leading up to the vote in anticipation of Johnson possibly violating the Hastert Rule and objections over the broader process, policies, and spending inside the unpopular bill. That motion is not privileged and therefore does not require the House to immediately address it. However, Greene could change the motion to privileged in the future.
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