House pushes stopgap funding, SAVE America Act and stock-trade ban before August recess

The House of Representatives approved a stopgap spending measure on Wednesday that extends federal funding at current levels through Dec. 4, averting a shutdown in October. Fiscal conservatives praised the bill for avoiding new spending, while Democrats have signaled opposition to a plan they did not help draft.

Lawmakers also advanced a budget reconciliation framework that would allow the SAVE America Act – legislation requiring proof of citizenship to vote – to be considered later in the year. The framework must be adopted by both chambers to use the reconciliation process, which is not subject to a filibuster.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate will review the House’s funding plan in the coming weeks but noted it would need 60 votes and could face a filibuster. He indicated the Senate might use the reconciliation package to fund the government if the stopgap measure is rejected, a tactic that would bypass the filibuster but could set a precedent.

Separately, the House scheduled a vote on a bill that would prohibit its members from trading individual stocks, expanding on the 2012 STOCK Act that already bars the use of non-public information for trading. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed the measure, arguing that any ban should apply to all branches of government.

The legislative agenda also includes a defense policy bill that the Senate has blocked, and funding for operations related to the conflict in Iran and agricultural programs, all bundled into the so-called “Reconciliation 3.0” package. Disagreements within the Republican caucus over procedural rules have delayed some of these actions, highlighting the compressed timeline before the August recess.