WASHINGTON —The House passed legislation Tuesday to avert a partial government shutdown and fund federal agencies through September. Republicans needed overwhelming support from their members to pass the funding measure, and they got it in the 217-213 House vote.
The GOP members of the Kansas congressional delegation voted with the majority.
On his social media account, Kansas First District congressman explains his vote in the support of the bill.
Kansas Second District Congressman Derek Schmidt's wrote, “Federal spending has grown unsustainably in recent years and has exploded since the pandemic. Our national debt is more than $36 trillion."
"I told Kansans that as their congressman, I will be part of the solution to this serious problem – and this bill is a small step in the right direction. This bill freezes federal spending slightly below current levels to prevent a costly government shutdown that would delay or derail the America First agenda that Kansans voted for by a large margin. Enacting this bill is important to make clear we are serious about reforming how Washington does business.”
In the Senate, the bill will need support from at least eight Democrats to get it to President Donald Trump’s desk. It’s one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president’s second term.
In moving the bill ahead despite the lack of buy-in from Democrats, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is essentially daring them to oppose it and risk a shutdown that would begin Saturday if lawmakers fail to act.
-The Associated Press contributed to this report