Speaker Johnson may escape McCarthy’s fate by securing Democratic support for the passage of CR.
Conservative Republicans Unhappy with Speaker Johnson’s Plan to Fund Government
Several hard-line conservatives in the House Republican Conference are unhappy with Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) plan to fund the government as it will require Democratic support to get across the finish line. But the newly elected leader is likely to avoid the same backlash his predecessor faced — at least for the time being.
Vote on Johnson’s Temporary Spending Plan
The House is set to vote on Johnson’s temporary spending plan on Tuesday, which will be presented under a suspension of rules that will require a two-thirds majority vote to pass the House. That means Johnson must rely on Democrats to vote in favor of the bill, repeating the exact scenario that played out when the House passed its CR in September and ultimately leading to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) losing the speaker’s gavel.
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However, those same Republicans who punished McCarthy for extending his arm across the aisle say the situation is different now — indicating they won’t call for a similar motion to vacate.
“The prior administration, they had since January,” said Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), one of eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy. “[Johnson] is trying to do something, he knows he’s in a bind. CRs were created for emergency situations, and that’s what this is.”
Several Republicans have come out in opposition to Johnson’s proposed CR, which would maintain current spending levels with no cuts and delay the appropriations deadline until early next year. The conservative Freedom Caucus released a position against the spending package on Tuesday just hours ahead of the vote, costing Johnson a couple of dozen GOP votes.
Still, many GOP lawmakers said they would support Johnson’s proposal, arguing it’s the only plan that can make its way through Congress ahead of the government shutdown deadline on Friday.
“Mike is having to reach out to the Democrats because you can’t get the Republicans to agree on anything,” said Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX), who said he would support the spending package. “No matter what decision he makes, he can’t get 217 of the Republican conference. He’s got to reach out to Democrats. We’ve done it to ourselves quite honestly. We’ve done it. We can thank the Republican Party for where we’re at today.”
It’s not yet clear how many Democrats will vote in favor of the CR proposal, with Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) telling reporters that party leaders are “still evaluating” the text before recommending action. Jeffries said he’s had several conversations with Johnson over the last few days and expects at least “one or two more” before the vote is held.
“We’ve made clear that there should be no poisonous, political, partisan policy provisions. Those are the important factors in our evaluation process,” Jeffries said.
However, the Democratic leader said party members still have concerns over Johnson’s bifurcated deadlines, noting they are still “evaluating the potential adverse impact of that on the American people.”
But Jeffries left the door open on possible support.
“It is extremely important to keep the government open,” he said. “In fact, that’s been a Democratic principle from the very beginning of this Congress. The government is open right now because Democrats provided the votes to avoid a government shutdown.”
Other Democrats indicated they would support the package, arguing their only priority is to avert a government shutdown.
“The numbers seem to be pretty good to me. I don’t understand why they’re going down this road, but at the end of the day — I mean we didn’t want to shut the government down,” said Rules Committee ranking member Jim McGovern (D-MA). “My expectation is that this will pass.”
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What are the concerns raised by conservative Republicans regarding Speaker Johnson’s plan to fund the government?
Pass a bill in the House without Democratic votes,” said Rep. Tom Graves (R-GA). “I don’t think he wants to, but he’s having to. He’s trying to make the best of a bad situation.”
Conservative Concerns
Conservative Republicans have voiced their concerns over Johnson’s plan, arguing that it doesn’t go far enough in reducing government spending. They believe that the current spending levels are unsustainable and that the government needs to make significant cuts in order to address the country’s growing debt and deficit.
“We need to be responsible with taxpayer dollars and start making the tough choices to get our fiscal house in order,” said Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), chairman of the Freedom Caucus. “Kicking the can down the road by simply maintaining current spending levels is not an effective solution.”
Many conservatives are also frustrated with the need for Democratic support to pass the spending plan, believing that it gives too much leverage to the opposing party. They worry that Democrats will use their position to push for policies and programs that are not aligned with conservative principles.
Temporary Solution
While conservatives are unhappy with Johnson’s plan, many acknowledge that the current situation calls for a temporary solution to prevent a government shutdown. They recognize the need to keep the government funded and operational, even if it means making compromises in the short term.
“As much as I would like to see significant spending cuts, we also need to ensure that essential government services continue without interruption,” said Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), a prominent conservative member of Congress. “A temporary spending plan may not be ideal, but it’s necessary to keep the government running while we work towards a long-term solution.”
Conservatives are hopeful that Johnson will be able to negotiate better terms and conditions for future spending bills, ensuring that Republican priorities are adequately addressed. They believe that this temporary spending plan is a necessary step to buy time and avoid a government shutdown while allowing for further negotiations and discussions on spending and fiscal responsibility.
“We have to work with the hand we’re dealt, and right now the hand we’re dealt requires us to reach across the aisle,” said Rep. Curt Clawson (R-FL). “But that doesn’t mean we can’t continue to fight for conservative values and principles in the budgeting process. This is just one battle in a larger war.”
Conclusion
Despite the dissatisfaction among conservative Republicans with Speaker Johnson’s plan to fund the government, it appears that for now, they are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Recognizing the need for a temporary solution to avoid a government shutdown, many conservatives are reluctantly supporting the plan while expressing hopes for better negotiations in the future. While conservative concerns remain, it remains to be seen how Speaker Johnson will navigate the delicate balance between party unity and fiscal responsibility.
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