Johnson unveils Trump-backed House GOP plan to avoid government shutdown, sets up battle with Schumer

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., unveiled a plan to avoid a partial government shutdown at the end of this month during a lawmaker-only phone call Wednesday morning.

Johnson is aiming to hold a vote on the measure as soon as possible, likely next week, two sources familiar with the call told Fox News Digital.

House GOP leaders hope to link a short-term extension of this fiscal year's federal funding levels, known as a continuing resolution (CR), to a Republican-backed bill known as the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. That measure would require proof of citizenship in the voter registration process in a bid to crack down on GOP concerns about noncitizens participating in U.S. elections.

The bill would punt the federal funding fight to March, when a new administration and a new congressional term will dictate how the next shutdown showdown will play out.

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Five Democrats voted for the SAVE Act when it passed the House in July, but their leaders are largely opposed to the measure and have panned it as unnecessary since it is already illegal to vote in federal elections as a noncitizen.

Meanwhile, senior Republican lawmakers had called for a short-term funding extension into December rather than risking a traffic jam of legislative deadlines in the new year.

Johnson said on the call, however, that his plan has "a lot of merit" and reasoned a December CR would likely necessitate another one into the new year anyway, one source familiar with the call said.

Other Republicans also raised concerns during the 30-minute call, multiple sources said.

Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., confirmed to Fox News Digital that she took issue with the lack of