House Speaker Mike Johnson is preparing a strategy that could set the stage for another major budget battle with Democrats, as Republicans look to combine government funding with election integrity measures in the months leading up to November’s midterm elections.

According to reports, Johnson said Thursday that the House’s next major legislative effort will be a continuing resolution to keep the federal government operating beyond the Sept. 30 fiscal year deadline. The temporary funding measure would likely extend spending into the post-election lame-duck session, Politico reported.

The approach reportedly follows private discussions in which Johnson encouraged President Donald Trump to support the plan. Republicans believe another fight over federal spending could put Democrats on the defensive over key GOP priorities, particularly election security, before voters head to the polls.

When asked whether the Republican-backed SAVE America Act would be included in the temporary spending bill, Johnson indicated that no final decision has been made.

“We haven’t decided all that yet,” Johnson said when asked whether the Republican-backed SAVE America Act would be attached to the stopgap bill.

Johnson made clear, however, that the legislation remains central to the Republican agenda.

“The SAVE America Act is the No. 1 priority for us, and we’re going to attach it to everything that makes sense,” Johnson said. “So we’ll have to see.”

Republicans have increasingly pushed to link major legislation with the SAVE America Act, which would require individuals to provide proof of U.S. citizenship before registering to vote in federal elections. Although the House approved the proposal earlier this year, it has yet to advance in the Senate.

Politico reported that GOP leaders are debating whether to package the election integrity provisions with the funding bill, believing such a move would force Democrats to publicly oppose measures that have become a hallmark of President Trump’s legislative agenda. Some Democrats, however, are expected to favor a straightforward funding extension without additional policy provisions.

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, argued that lawmakers should simply keep the government funded until after the election, saying it would be “the adult thing” to do because Congress is unlikely to complete all of its appropriations work before the fiscal year expires.

At the same time, House Republicans are also working to move a separate $95 billion reconciliation package before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess.

According to The Hill, the proposal would provide $73 billion for defense and intelligence programs, $12 billion for agricultural assistance, and another $10 billion to implement Trump-backed election integrity initiatives modeled after the SAVE America Act.

Not all Republicans are on board with the proposal. Fiscal conservatives have objected that the legislation does not adequately offset the new spending.

Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, predicted the framework would be “DOA,” while Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he remained undecided, cautioning that advancing the legislation too quickly would be a mistake.

House Republican leaders argue the scaled-down reconciliation package reflects negotiations with both the White House and Senate Republicans while addressing urgent military requirements in the aftermath of the conflict with Iran.

Vice President JD Vance has also urged House Republicans to rally behind the measure, arguing that it would bolster national security, provide assistance to American farmers, and advance election integrity efforts after Democrats declined to support the SAVE America Act in the Senate.

{Matzav.com}