White House rebukes Republicans over partisan plan to avert shutdown

The White House has criticized a Republican proposal to prevent a government shutdown, claiming it underfunds defense and veteran programs and could lead to widespread budget cuts. The GOP's plan, introduced as a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the government until March 2025, includes stricter voter citizenship requirements. This aligns with Republican efforts to focus on immigration and the border in the upcoming elections. The proposal has sparked a debate over the duration of the stopgap measure, with Republicans pushing for a longer CR to potentially give a Trump presidency more control over funding, while Democrats favor a shorter CR to cover the lame duck period and complete annual funding work by the end of the year. The White House warns that the GOP's six-month CR could lead to automatic budget cuts in April if full-year bills are not passed, impacting crucial services like education, veteran care, food assistance, and safety programs.