KVSP In blow to Johnson’s leadership, GOP hard-liners revolt over government funding deal
Written by ABC Audio ALL RIGHTS RESERVED on January 10, 2024
(WASHINGTON) — In a blow to House Speaker Mike Johnson, a group of hard-line Republicans tanked a procedural vote on Wednesday in a revolt of a tentative funding deal he negotiated with Democrats to prevent a government shutdown.
Thirteen Republicans joined Democrats to effectively bring the House floor to a stop, with votes canceled for the rest of the day.
Johnson ignored questions as he left the chamber but later seemed to shrug off the setback during an interview with Fox News host Martha MacCallum.
“It’s going to survive,” Johnson said of the deal he worked out with the Senate and White House, which would set top-line spending for fiscal year 2024 at $1.59 trillion.
But Wednesday’s scene was deja vu for a House Republican majority that’s repeatedly struggled to coalesce on spending issues. Such internal strife was a key driver of the historic removal of Kevin McCarthy from the speakership.
The GOP lawmakers who voted against the rule were Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane, Eric Burlison, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, Matt Rosendale, Anna Paulina Luna, Ralph Norman, Chip Roy, Bob Good, Scott Perry, Tim Moore and Andy Ogles.
Earlier in the day, the House Republican conference huddled behind closed doors to discuss a path forward on funding the government. Several lawmakers voiced sharp criticism of the top-line spending deal as they exited the meeting.
“I am not voting for anything unless we shut the border dow,” Rep. Norman said. “I am not funding a government that’s putting this country at risk. That’s harming us. Either shut the border down or take the consequences.”
“I don’t like it,” said Tennessee Republican Rep. Tim Burchett. “Leadership cuts a deal, and it doesn’t necessarily represent the members.”
Ohio Rep. Warren Davidson said Speaker Johnson “should have never been hired” and Texas’ Roy has discussed the possibility of another motion to vacate the speaker.
Others, though, say they aren’t ready to abandon Johnson yet. Norman said the conference has to give Johnson “back up” and Good said he didn’t believe “someone whose been a speaker for two and half months should be judged the same way as someone who had been in leadership for the Republican Party for a decade or more,” referring to McCarthy.
Johnson, in his interview with Fox News, was asked if he thinks there will be any effort to oust him.
“There’s a lot of emotion here right now because there’s a lot of important emotional issues on the table,” he responded. “But what we have to do is be the adults in the room and govern … I don’t think I’m in any jeopardy of being vacated. It’s not something I walk around and think about what I’m thinking about this government’s trying to do well by the people.”
What about a continuing resolution?
Meanwhile, in the Senate, top Republican leader Mitch McConnell has said Congress will need to pass another short-term funding bill (or continuing resolution) before Jan. 19 in order to keep the government open and operating at current levels until legislation is agreed upon.
“Obviously we’re gonna have to pass a [continuing resolution] as well,” McConnell told reporters Tuesday during his weekly press conference. McConnell said it would be up to Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to determine how long the resolution would last.
But the idea of putting a continuing resolution on the House floor did not come up during the House Republican Conference meeting on Wednesday, according to several members.
The White House also didn’t appear enthusiastic about a short-term fix.
“This kicking the can down the road is not the way that Congress should be operating,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers.
“We’ve been very clear about that,” Jean-Pierre continued. “They have a job to do. Keeping the government open is one of the basic things that they can do,” she told me. “House Republicans kicking this down the road does not help Americans. it doesn’t.”
If a deal isn’t struck before next Friday, a partial government shutdown will occur, impacting agriculture, energy, housing, and transportation programs. The remaining agencies will face a shutdown on Feb. 2.
ABC News’ Alexandra Hutzler contributed to this report.
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