House Democrats held a closed-door meeting on Tuesday to develop a strategic plan to counter Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) proposed short-term spending package. According to multiple senior House Democrats, the party's leadership, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), urged members to oppose the bill, thus depriving Republicans of the necessary votes for its passage.

Speaker Johnson's proposal aims to maintain current funding levels until March, with an additional provision requiring proof of citizenship for federal election voter registration. During the closed meeting, Jeffries, along with House Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.), highlighted two key reasons to reject the bill, as reported by four attendees.

Clark, in particular, has been vocal about her strong opposition to the bill, with sources stating that she is actively rallying against it. It is expected that her efforts will involve the five House Democrats who previously supported the SAVE Act as a standalone bill.

Buoyed by their success in previous spending conflicts in this congressional session, Democrats are confident that the Republican strategy will ultimately falter. Senate and House Democratic leaders, in collaboration with the White House, are working together to push for a short-term spending bill that would fund the government until mid-December, instead of accepting Johnson's proposal.

Despite facing an internal rebellion and strong opposition from top Democrats, Speaker Johnson will need to secure sufficient votes with his slim five-vote majority to avoid a government shutdown. The White House's push for a three-month stopgap measure is an attempt to set the terms of the spending debate, while Republican lawmakers are advocating for a six-month bill.

When questioned about the possibility of a government shutdown due to the disagreement with Democrats over his support for stricter voting regulations for non-citizens, Speaker Johnson dismissed the concerns. However, some moderate Republicans in districts won by President Biden in the 2020 election have expressed apprehension, fearing potential political consequences if the clash with Democrats escalates and jeopardizes government operations.

As negotiations continue between party leaders, the fate of the spending bill and the potential for a government shutdown remain uncertain.