House Republicans are set to adjust their stopgap spending bill in a bid to win over holdouts, stripping a planned increase in the number of available visas for Afghan allies who fought alongside U.S. troops.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), one of the holdouts, said in an interview Monday that he’s pushing for the change to the provision on Special Immigrant Visas for Afghans, citing concerns about properly vetting the Afghans that have been resettled in the U.S.
“It’s a sticking point for me,” Ogles said, leaving Speaker Mike Johnson’s office Monday night. Another GOP holdout, Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), also raised concerns about the SIV provisions in the package.
Eight to 10 GOP lawmakers wouldn’t vote for the funding bill if the SIV change wasn’t made, two other Republicans who were granted anonymity to speak candidly estimated. With Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) a no on the spending bill and Democratic leaders whipping against it, Johnson can’t afford that many defections. A shutdown deadline looms on Friday, and there are still several other Republicans who are undecided on the spending package.
GOP leaders are attaching the SIV changes to a manager’s amendment that is set to clear the Rules Committee Monday evening. The amendment specifically strips a slated increase in the Afghan SIV visa cap, from 70,500 back down to 50,500. The change also eliminates a provision that would have extended the application deadline for another two years, but it keeps the program operational through this year.
“The amendment extends the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program through this year in its current form until the Administration concludes its review of the program,” said a senior GOP leadership aide.
