House Republicans plan to vote Friday morning on a short-term measure to fund the government as a shutdown deadline nears, hoping to keep pressure on Democrats who have signaled they will vote to shut down the government if Republicans don't cave to Democratic demands to restore cuts to Medicaid and extend Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.House Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced Thursday afternoon that the House would vote on the measure at 10:20 a.m.Friday.House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed cautious optimism Thursday that Republicans will pass their 52-day continuing resolution on Friday -- a week ahead of the Sept.
30 deadline to fund the government."I think we have the votes and I think it's just very unfortunate the Democrats are trying to play partisan games when we're in good faith trying to fund the government," Johnson told reporters as he arrived at the Capitol on Thursday."So, this is a clean, short-term CR.
There's no tricks to this at all.It's a total good faith effort to allow appropriators on both sides of the aisle to continue their work.
I don't know how they can object to it.I really don't."MORE: Democrats set fight over health care as possible government shutdown loomsWith a narrow 219-213 edge over Democrats, Johnson can afford to lose just two Republican defectors in a vote on passage.
Several hardline Republicans have signaled they intend to vote against it -- though the speaker has repeatedly overcome last-minute holdouts -- even if President Donald Trump's arm-twisting is required to bring the final votes to heel.Speaker of the House of Representatives Mike Johnson waits for Ecumenical Patriarch and Archbishop of Constantinople Bartholomew I to join him in a photo op on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Sept.17, 2025.Annabelle Gordon/ReutersFor his part, Trump urged House Republicans to support the "clean" funding bill Thursday afternoon."Every House Republican should UNIFY, and VOTE YES!" Trump posted to hi...