"House GOP's Twist to Stopgap Funds Fight: Johnson Opposes 'Stupid' Government Shutdown"
House Republicans are considering a new approach to stopgap funding called a "laddered" continuing resolution, which would extend pieces of current appropriations for different time periods, creating a series of funding cliffs instead of a single deadline that could trigger a government shutdown. The proposal aims to build consensus among GOP members who seek additional spending cuts and could incentivize conservatives opposed to a continuing resolution to vote for it. However, senior Democratic appropriators warn that the laddered approach could complicate the funding process and cause disruptions across the executive branch. Speaker Mike Johnson also defended his decision to cut IRS funding to pay for an aid package for Israel, arguing for fiscal responsibility, and stated that a Ukraine bill would be coming soon, paired with measures to protect the U.S. southern border. Additionally, Johnson mentioned the possibility of appointing members to a bipartisan debt commission to address federal debt.