House Rejects GOP Bill Linking Funding to Citizenship

The House of Representatives rejected a temporary funding bill that linked federal government funding to a proof of citizenship requirement for voter registration, with a vote tally of 220-202. The bill faced bipartisan opposition, leaving lawmakers scrambling to avoid a partial government shutdown before the October 1 deadline. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed disappointment and plans to pursue alternative solutions, despite the bill's failure being widely anticipated due to insufficient support. Critics argue the citizenship requirement would disenfranchise millions and is unnecessary, as research indicates noncitizen voting is rare. Former President Trump urged Republicans to not agree to any temporary funding measures unless they included the SAVE Act, further complicating negotiations. The rejection of the bill has intensified the urgency for Congress to agree on a stopgap funding measure to maintain government operations.