Several Republican lawmakers expressed their displeasure on Monday with House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) plan to move forward with a continuing resolution to fund the government, which would keep spending levels the same rather than cutting them.
A vote is expected on Tuesday for Johnson’s funding plan, pushing deadlines for the 12 appropriations bills to two separate dates in early 2024. Several GOP representatives have already said they won’t support such a proposal, calling it “a no-go.”
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“That would be a very bad idea,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said. “We should not be suspending the rules to spend whatever $1.6 trillion is divided by 60 to 75 days.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) also indicated she won’t support the continuing resolution. “I think it’s a failure,” she said.
Some other representatives — who supported the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), particularly due to his cooperating with Democrats on a continuing resolution to fund the government — said they still support their choice to remove him, even as his successor moves forward with a similar plan.
“It’s like throwing in a quarterback in the fourth quarter and expecting him to make up for three quarters of failure, and you’re behind 35 [to] nothing,” Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) said in defense of Johnson. But he reiterated he doesn’t support the funding measure.
Rep. Eli Crane (R-AZ) also hasn’t changed his mind on removing McCarthy. He said on Monday that the motion to vacate was “worth it every day and twice on Sunday. At least [Johnson] doesn’t lie to us.”
Bob Good and Eli Crane, who both voted to oust McCarthy, defend doing so even as Speaker Johnson is also advancing a clean spending bill with support of Ds.
“At least he didn’t lie to us,” Crane saysMTG, who backed McCarthy, says of Johnson’s plan: “I think it’s a failure.” pic.twitter.com/ZQjQzygMje
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 14, 2023
However, Greene didn’t feel the same. The Georgia congresswoman supported McCarthy through the removal process and questioned the double standard her House colleagues were using with Johnson.
“I think if you’re going to oust a speaker of the House from your conference, the red line should remain the same for the next speaker,” she said. “What’s the point in throwing out one speaker if nothing changes?”
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With several Republican lawmakers poised to vote against Johnson’s proposal, the speaker will need some Democratic support if the legislation has any hope of passing. House Democrats haven’t signaled whether they would support the continuing resolution, with leaders sending a letter to conference members on Monday saying they were still examining Johnson’s proposal.
The most recent continuing resolution funds the government through Friday, and lawmakers must pass a measure to continue funding before it expires to avoid a government shutdown.
