House Republicans, particularly hardliners, are expressing concern over Speaker Mike Johnson’s recent government funding compromise with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. These Republicans, who had previously criticized ex-Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s funding deal with President Biden, fear that Johnson’s leadership will bring more of the same compromises that they believe have harmed the country financially.
Among those expressing their concerns is House Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, who stated that Johnson’s deal does not bring about any significant policy changes to reverse the damage caused by the Pelosi-Schumer-Biden policies currently in place. Good, along with other House Republicans, opposes the compromise and believes that it does not align with their role as fiscal conservatives.
The debate over policy attachments to Congress’ upcoming spending bills is expected to be a contentious issue in the coming months, as the first funding deadline is set for January 19. While Schumer has indicated that he will not entertain conservative policy riders in the final deal, Johnson has touted the compromise as a pathway to achieving those wins.
However, the House Republicans who spoke with Digital on Monday expressed doubts about the possibility of getting their desired policy riders attached. Rep. Warren Davidson cautioned that the success of Johnson’s leadership will depend on whether conservative policy riders can be included in the final deal.
Rep. Chip Roy, on the other hand, was pessimistic about the prospects of achieving policy wins, arguing that the Johnson-Schumer deal puts the GOP in a worse position than McCarthy’s compromise. He criticized Johnson for including a $69 billion side agreement between McCarthy and Biden, which increases the agreed-upon spending topline to about $1.65 trillion. Roy believes that this deal signifies a continuation of the problems they faced last year.
Despite the challenges faced by Johnson, even some members of the right flank, like Rep. Ralph Norman, are criticizing the deal and demanding significant policy overhauls, particularly regarding border security. Norman views the proposal as inadequate and is calling for stronger action.
Johnson, who presides over a slim House GOP majority and must negotiate with Democrats in both the Senate and White House, faces a difficult task in getting the desired policies passed. However, he has earned the trust of some Republicans, like Rep. Tim Burchett, who expresses hope for meaningful change under Johnson’s leadership.
The article also mentions that Johnson’s office has been contacted for comment but no response has been received at the time of writing.
In conclusion, House Republicans are expressing concerns over Speaker Johnson’s government funding deal with Democrats, fearing that it does not bring about significant policy changes and compromises their fiscal conservative principles. The upcoming debate over policy attachments to spending bills is expected to be a key point of contention. Despite the challenges, some Republicans express trust in Johnson’s leadership, while others are demanding stronger action, particularly on border security.
