WASHINGTON – Republican hardliners in the House of Representatives have revolted bilateral cost agreement An attempt to express displeasure with a pact reached between Speaker Mike Johnson and the Senate on Wednesday by stalling a procedural vote on an unrelated bill.
The vote was 203-216, with 13 Republicans joining Democrats in sinking the “rule” vote. Among the absentees were Chip Roy of Texas, Bob Good of Virginia and Andy Biggs of Arizona, all of whom voted no to express their anger at Johnson, a person familiar with the effort said.
Rep. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she was “absolutely unsatisfied” with Johnson’s performance so far. “We’re not involved in anything,” he said. “They seem to be the only people he negotiates with and talks to [Senate Majority Leader Chuck] Sumer and the White House. It doesn’t work for us.”
As Congress nears a Jan. 19 deadline to avert a partial government shutdown, underscoring the headache facing House GOP leaders on the right, lawmakers are frustrated by the lack of time.
Earlier, Johnson, R-La., did not rule out another short-term funding bill to avert this month’s shutdown from December, when he promised there would be no more break-even accounts in 2024.
Johnson’s remarks came as other leaders of the House and Senate, Democrats and Republicans, acknowledged this week that Congress would have no choice but to pass all the appropriations bills before the Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 double funding deadlines. but to pass another short-term bill known as a continuing resolution or CR to avoid a shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Tuesday that “obviously, we’re going to have to pass a CR.” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar of California told reporters Wednesday that Congress “needs more time” to pass the 12 appropriations bills, given that members still don’t have base numbers for each bill, known as 302(b)s. .
After a closed-door meeting with House Republicans, Johnson would not directly answer whether he would allow a government shutdown on Jan. 19, saying only if D.N.Y. He said the bipartisan high-spending deal with Schumer is affecting Congress. A two-way negotiating path in the room to determine 302(b).
“I’d say the pedal is metal right now,” Johnson said. “And I’m very hopeful and optimistic that we can meet the deadlines.”
But pressed on whether he would rule out the need for a short-term deal to avoid a 100% shutdown, Johnson replied: “I’m not ruling anything out, I’m not committing anything, other than to make these cuts, and I think we can. .”
Before becoming speaker, Johnson consistently voted against CRs. When approving a laddered CR in November that set a pair of funding deadlines of Jan. 19 and Feb. 2, Johnson announced on Fox News that those CRs would be his last.
“I hate CRs,” he said Fox appearance on November 14. “We shouldn’t do it and we won’t do it again next year.”
Johnson is clearly reluctant to support another short-term deal, given that hard-right conservatives in his conference despise and resent them. $1.59 trillion spending deal For fiscal year 2024, it is tied with Democrats on the holidays.
“We have to reduce costs. This is a bad deal,” said Byron Donalds, a representative of the USA Freedom Committee. “Frankly, there are a lot of influences on his staff and in the Senate that influence the speaker to make these decisions, and I think they’re bad.” I think they are the wrong decision.”
Facing threats from some of the far-right forces that ousted his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy, Johnson defended his bipartisan deal and insisted he shared conservative priorities such as controlling spending.
“Look, leadership is hard; you criticize too much. But remember, I am a staunch conservative. That’s what they called me. I come from that camp…” Johnson told reporters. “For me, this deal, this deal, is the down payment to get us back to fiscal sanity in this country.”
The deal would eliminate $6.1 billion in unused Covid funds and accelerate a $10 billion cut in IRS money from Biden’s Inflation Relief Act.
Before that happens, however, congressional leaders say they need to pass a short-term resolution. Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Patty Murray, D-Wash., and the panel’s ranking member, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, both now acknowledge the need for a short-term funding bill to avert a shutdown.
Collins said Wednesday that a deal on the 302(b) numbers could be announced later in the day.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune of RSD said Tuesday that he does not expect the House and Senate to pass the first four appropriations bills expected by Jan. 19. A CR, he said, could extend government funding until March.
“We’re going to have a tough time between now and the 19th,” Thune said. “I think we should at least give some time to work on other bills, and if there is a CR, [it’s] maybe by March.”