After a high-stakes meeting at the White House between House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and top Washington officials, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) described the gathering as “intense.”
President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly exerted pressure on Johnson to lead a bill through the House that both Republicans and Democrats can support, preventing a looming partial government shutdown by Friday and a more severe shutdown the following week.
Jeffries also urged Johnson to swiftly bring an appropriations bill to the House floor to ensure the government’s normal operations continue with funding from Congress.
“It was a tough meeting, but ultimately productive,” Jeffries remarked after the discussion.
Leader Jeffries after White House meeting: It was an intense meeting, it was an honest meeting, and ultimately it was a productive meeting. pic.twitter.com/w4RH3jythK
— House Judiciary Dems (@HouseJudiciary) February 27, 2024
“We covered three main points: Firstly, the urgent need to avert a government shutdown and fund essential services for the American people’s health, safety, and economic well-being,” he explained.
“I cautiously believe we can finalize these bills in the next day or so and prevent a government shutdown,” Jeffries informed reporters.
“Simultaneously, it’s crucial to reach a bipartisan agreement to extend the expiration of eight additional bills set to lapse on March 8th, allowing sincere negotiations to continue without the threat of a shutdown,” he added.
When I met with the White House and Congressional leaders today, my purpose was to express what I believe is the obvious truth: that we must take care of America's needs first. pic.twitter.com/bbNWgvCVCI
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) February 27, 2024
Speaker Johnson echoed optimism, stating, “We’ve been tirelessly working day and night for months to get this done. In the last few days, we’ve been working around the clock. We’re very hopeful.”
In a statement on X, Johnson emphasized, “My goal in meeting with the White House and Congressional leaders today was to emphasize the undeniable truth: Our priority must be addressing America’s needs first.”
