US House to vote on Speaker's funding plan as shutdown looms

​​​​​​​By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that the chamber will vote Wednesday on a six-month stopgap funding bill to keep the government open.

"Congress has an immediate obligation to do two things: responsibly fund the federal government, and ensure the security of our elections. Because we owe this to our constituents, we will move forward on Wednesday with a vote on the 6-month CR with the SAVE Act attached," Johnson said in a statement.

He urged all his colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the people of the county "rightfully demand and deserve - prevent non-American citizens from voting in American elections."

The government is set to shut down Oct. 1 unless Democrats and Republicans agree on a funding bill.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, said Senate lawmakers are working to avert a shutdown in less than two weeks.

"Democrats do not want a shutdown. The only way to avert a shutdown is to reach a bipartisan, bicameral agreement.

"However, the House is simply choosing to waste time tomorrow. Speaker Johnson is reportedly going to hold a vote on his six-month CR (Continuing Resolution), the only thing bipartisan about it is that both Republicans and Democrats hate that idea," Schumer told reporters.

He urged the House to be "serious, come to the table, work together" to reach a bipartisan agreement with other leaders. "We don't have time to spare."