Mike Johnson reflects on the balance of power in an exclusive interview
House Speaker Mike Johnson reflected on the tug-of-war between the legislative and executive branches in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY.
President Donald Trump is pushing Republicans to pair a package of voting reforms with the defense spending bill his administration is pushing Congress to pass, with the long-term goal of getting both bills to the president’s desk before lawmakers leave for an extended recess.
The House has repeatedly approved versions of the election bill, known as the SAVE America Act, but the bill lacks the support needed to pass the Senate. President Trump has said he will not sign any other legislation until this bill becomes law.
President Trump said he came up with a new plan overnight to move election reform. It comes as Congressional leaders attach the plan to the administration’s request for $350 billion in additional funding for the Pentagon as part of a mega-legislation that combines all of Republicans’ election-year priorities into one bill.
“I call on the leaders of the House and Senate to make this a top priority and ensure $350 billion in Recon 3.0 is moved out of the Appropriations Committees as soon as Congress reconvenes,” Trump wrote on social media. “The coveted SAVE AMERICA ACT, passed very quickly, combined with full funding from the Department of the Army, will ensure the United States remains free for generations to come.”
The declaration came shortly after House Speaker Mike Johnson announced that Republicans would make a final attempt to pass voting restrictions once they return from vacation. Johnson said he would use the defense spending bill, which Republicans are moving through a budgeting process known as “reconciliation,” as a vehicle for election reform.
Among other measures, the bill would require proof of citizenship to register and a photo ID to vote. With little chance of surviving the Senate’s 60-vote threshold, known as the filibuster, Johnson vowed to work to pass the budget with a simple majority in the Senate.
The pledge did not immediately satisfy conservative hardliners, and the House was suspended last week. Amid the rebellion, Prime Minister Boris Johnson canceled the vote and abruptly sent MPs home ahead of the July 4th holiday. The House members are scheduled to return to Washington next week.
The Senate also needs to pass the catch-all bill before passing it to President Trump, who refused to sign a bipartisan housing bill that passed both chambers of Congress over a voting reform controversy.
Even if the Senate takes up Trump’s new demands, there is little time for lawmakers to pass a joint bill. Members of both chambers are scheduled to take a week-long summer vacation and resign at the end of July.
