Speaker Mike Johnson is scrambling to juggle the demands of long-warring factions of his conference. And there's no way to appease both sides.
. . .Johnson huddled with House Freedom Caucus Chair Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.) and roughly a dozen other members of his right flank on Thursday.
- Those hardliners emerged from the meeting optimistic that they’ll convince Johnson to walk away from the agreement he announced with other congressional leaders to fund the government for this fiscal year.
- “It’s not going to be the current deal,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) told reporters after leaving the meeting.
- Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) added that “there's going to be a new deal drawn up, and that's what we're in the process of doing.”
Johnson, leaving the meeting, said he had made no commitments to the conservatives, but that discussions are ongoing.
“We’re having thoughtful conversations about funding options and priorities. … While those conversations are going on, I’ve made no commitments, so if you hear otherwise it’s just simply not true,” Johnson said, adding that there would be additional meetings.
Republicans responsible for negotiating the details of a government funding package also warned against trying to change the agreement. . .
Republicans responsible for negotiating the details of a government funding package also warned against trying to change the agreement. . .
- Rep. David Joyce (R-Ohio), another appropriator, brushed off the hardline push to renegotiate the agreement, saying that "the top line is the top line."
- Changes would require a sign off from Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, not to mention Senate leadership, raising the odds that it could blow up the agreement entirely.
“We have a top-line agreement. Everybody knows to get anything done, it has to be bipartisan. So we're going to continue to work to pass a CR and avoid a shutdown,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said as conservatives pushed Johnson to change the deal. Schumer said Thursday he plans to introduce a vehicle for a short-term stopgap, known as a continuing resolution or a CR, in order to give appropriators more time to work out the details of the bipartisan spending agreement.
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