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CR includes $88 million for political violence protection

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Trump urges House Republicans to support the stopgap bill

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Senate Democrats push for healthcare cost reduction in

alternative bill

By David Morgan and Nolan D. McCaskill

WASHINGTON, Sept 19 (Reuters) - Republicans who control

the U.S. Congress will try on Friday to pass a stopgap funding

bill to avert a government shutdown that would otherwise begin

October 1, over the objections of Democrats who are pushing

their own funding legislation.

The bill, known as a continuing resolution or CR, would keep

federal agencies operating at current levels through November

21, while providing $88 million to protect members of Congress,

the executive branch and the Supreme Court from the threat of

political violence in the aftermath of conservative activist

Charlie Kirk's assassination.

But the task of getting the legislation through Congress and

onto Republican President Donald Trump's desk before current

funding runs out at midnight on September 30 has become a

political obstacle course. Republican congressional leaders need

their fractious 219-213 House majority to show unity in the face

of monolithic opposition from Democrats, and then win support

from at least seven Democrats to secure passage in the U.S.

Senate.

"It's always down to the wire here, because we have one of the

smallest margins in U.S. history," House Speaker Mike Johnson,

who can afford to lose no more than two Republican votes if all

Democrats vote no, told Fox News. "But I think at the end of the

day, we'll do the right thing, keep the government open."

The White House has officially backed the measure. But

multiple Republicans have signaled opposition this week,

including Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado who told

Reuters on Thursday: "I'm not a 'yes' yet. We'll see." She

declined to say why she could withhold support.

"Every House Republican should UNIFY, and VOTE YES!" Trump

wrote on his Truth Social platform on Thursday. House

Republicans have so far not rejected any significant Trump

request.

Republicans insist the CR is "clean," meaning free of

political policy riders that could discourage bipartisan

support. But Democrats claim the stopgap represents partisan

Republican legislation and are expected to offer uniform

opposition in favor of their own legislation, which would fund

federal agencies through October 31, permanently extend

healthcare tax credits under the Affordable Care Act and restore

Medicaid spending cut by Trump's tax cut legislation.

The annual funding debate covers only about one-quarter of

the federal government's $7 trillion budget, which also includes

mandatory programs such as Social Security and Medicare, as well

as payments on the nation's $37.5 trillion debt.

If the CR succeeds in the House, it will go on to the Senate

later on Friday where Republicans will need 60 votes to pass it

but hold only a 53-47 seat majority.

The Senate will first vote on a measure introduced by Democrats.

If that fails, the chamber would then vote on the House version.