Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is at risk of not having the votes to pass a six-month extension in government funding despite his inclusion of a voting measure meant to appease reluctant conservatives.
House GOP leadership plans to begin whipping votes for the proposal, which includes the SAVE Act, a proof-of-citizenship voting bill demanded by hard-line members, when lawmakers return from a monthlong recess on Monday. But already, he is facing resistance from a group of fiscal hawks who rarely, if ever, vote for short-term funding extensions.
Reps. Matt Rosendale (R-MT) and Thomas Massie (R-KY) plan to vote against the measure when it comes up for a vote on the House floor, according to their offices, while lawmakers including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who pressed for the SAVE Act’s inclusion, are so far noncommittal on their vote.
“It’s crap,” Massie said in a two-word statement to the Washington Examiner. He, along with Greene, failed to oust Johnson in May over a series of deals he cut with the Democrats.
The public opposition, though small, threatens Johnson’s ability to pass the legislation in a chamber he only controls by four votes. If it fails, he risks weakening his hand in spending negotiations with the Democrats, who oppose the SAVE Act and are likely to push a “clean” bill without policy riders.
Vulnerable House Republicans voiced concern over Johnson’s proposal following a Wednesday conference call, saying it risks a government shutdown weeks before the Nov. 5 election. Washington has until Sept. 30 to extend funding.
Many of those same Republicans predicted the SAVE Act would get stripped from any final bill, even if it can pass the House as an opening offer in spending negotiations.
Still, the proposal, also supported by former President Donald Trump, is viewed as an attempt by Johnson to demonstrate to hard-liners that he is fighting for conservative priorities. It incorporates a second demand that funding be pushed into the new year, designed to prevent leadership from “jamming” conservatives with a yearlong spending bill right before the Christmas recess.
The bill, known as a continuing resolution, has been received positively by some hard-line Republicans. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-TN) is “likely” a “yes” vote given the inclusion of the SAVE Act, though a spokeswoman said, “He wants to see all the details before making a final decision.”
Meanwhile, Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) praised Johnson’s decision to pair the voting restriction, which he authored, with the spending fight.
But Johnson, who hopes to bring the CR to the floor “as soon as possible,” is navigating pockets of mistrust from hard-line Republicans that could torpedo its chances.
Greene told the Washington Examiner she would “consider” voting for it but doubted Johnson would put up a “fight” with the Democrats.
“It’s hard to support anything when we have leadership that won’t go to the mat and actually take a stand,” she said of Johnson.
Rosendale, who is retiring from Congress at the end of this term, urged leadership to finish the seven appropriations bills that have yet to pass the lower chamber instead of moving ahead with a CR.
Republicans unanimously passed the SAVE Act in July and even picked up five Democratic votes. The offices of those five Democrats did not respond to the Washington Examiner on whether they would support the spending bill by press time.
But Johnson can expect opposition from Democratic leadership, which has rejected the bill as a “scare tactic” that feeds into unfounded claims that millions of illegal immigrants are voting in federal elections.
Under current law, voters must be U.S. citizens to cast a ballot.
Johnson has previously enlisted Trump to help keep his right flank in line. The former president’s public support for Johnson is credited with helping GOP leadership overcome Greene’s ouster attempt.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
But on this issue, Trump has joined with hard-liners and has explicitly encouraged Republicans to shut the government down if their demands are not met.
“I would shut down the government in a heartbeat if they don’t get it,” Trump said last week on the Monica Crowley Podcast. “If they don’t get these bills, they should close it down and Republicans should not approve it.”
