Speaker John Boehner
House Republicans are
preparing a backup plan in case they fail to pass a spending bill that would fund the government through September. The backup plan would involve passing a one-week stopgap bill and using that week to pass just a three-month bill. They're presenting this as a threat to Democrats—fall in line, vote for the bill that would let big banks engage in risky behaviors and let rich people dramatically increase their contributions to political parties, or who knows what we'll force through in three months—but Nancy Pelosi is not necessarily terrified by it.
However, it does suggest that the fate of the so-called cromnibus is in doubt, and that Thursday is likely to be filled with maneuvering:
The reason for the sudden uptick in fallback planning is due to the close nature of the vote count. Republicans estimate between 150 and 175 of their members will vote for the package, but the Democratic vote is uncertain. House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) has been in close contact with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). [...]
There’s also some concern in pockets of GOP leadership that a procedural vote could fail, which would throw the entire day into flux. The so-called rule vote will be on the floor Thursday morning. All Democrats will vote against the rule, sources said, which will require Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) to find 218 GOP votes to pass the procedural motion.
But of course it's Democrats who'll get the most pressure from Republican leadership and the media alike to vote for a bill filled with Republican priorities, since the extremist Republicans opposing it don't think a government shutdown would be such a bad thing.
10:02 AM PT: Word from the White House: Despite several objections to the bill:
The Administration supports House passage of H.R. 83, making appropriations for fiscal year (FY) 2015, and for other purposes.