Johnson unveils Trump-backed House GOP plan to avoid government shutdown, picks fight with Schumer

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, outlined a plan to avoid a partial government shutdown in a Wednesday morning phone call exclusively for lawmakers.

Johnson intends to hold a vote on the decision as soon as possible, likely next week, two sources familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.

House Republican leaders hope to pair a short-term extension of federal funding levels this fiscal year, known as a continuing resolution (CR), with a Republican-backed bill known as Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE). The measure would require proof of citizenship in the voter registration process in an effort to address GOP concerns about noncitizens’ participation in U.S. elections.

The bill would push the fight for federal funding until March, when a new administration and a new Congress will decide what the next government shutdown game will look like.

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Five Democrats voted for the SAVE Act when it passed the House in July, but House leaders largely oppose the measure and see it as unnecessary because voting in federal elections as a noncitizen is already illegal.

Meanwhile, senior GOP lawmakers have called for a short-term extension of funding through December rather than risk a logjam on legislative deadlines in the New Year.

But Johnson said in the interview that his plan had “a lot of merit” and argued that announcing a CR in December would likely require another one next year anyway, said one of the sources familiar with the conversation.

Other Republicans also expressed concerns during the 30-minute call, multiple sources said.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., confirmed to Fox News Digital that she is concerned about the lack of resources to address the border crisis and told her colleagues about it during a phone call Wednesday.

In particular, she called for the inclusion in the CR of the Laken Riley Act, named after a student who was allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant. The act would aim to detain and deport migrants who commit illegal acts.

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“We should be putting forward a range of options, but Democrats should do something to stop the chaos,” she said, pointing to a New York Post report suggesting that illegal immigrants are overwhelming New York’s justice system.

Asked if she would support Johnson’s plan without the measures, she replied: “Let’s see.”

Meanwhile, two sources said Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y., wondered what Johnson’s response would be if the Senate sent back a “clean” short-term spending package without any attachments.

He said a partial government shutdown would put 10 of the most vulnerable House Republicans at risk, according to sources. One of the two sources said Johnson responded by saying their plan was worth fighting for and said the GOP couldn’t blink.

Another GOP lawmaker who spoke to Fox News Digital after the call said, “If we close, we lose.”

The bill is expected to need a simple majority to pass, a difficult task given Johnson’s slim majority in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., who is retiring at the end of the year, said outright Tuesday that he would oppose the plan.

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But the bill does have a major supporter in former President Donald Trump, who, during an appearance on Monica Crowley’s podcast earlier this week, urged House Republicans to use the government shutdown to pass the March CR plus SAVE Act.

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If the bill passes the House of Representatives, it is unlikely to be taken up by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Schumer, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital about the plan: “As we’ve said every time we’ve had CR, the only way to get something done is in a bipartisan way, and that’s what happened every time.”

A spokesman for Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, who is spearheading the CR plus SAVE Act plan, responded: “The majority leader’s comments are encouraging given that the SAVE Act passed with bipartisan support in the House.”