House GOP hardliners are furious with how congressional leaders are handling the ongoing government funding talks, with some even suggesting they could withhold support from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to head their conference again over his handling of the matter.
Negotiators are working on a short-term extension of current government funding levels known as a continuing resolution (CR). A bill must pass the House and Senate by the end of Friday, Dec. 20 to avoid a partial government shutdown just before the holidays.
‘The speaker definitely has some ‘no’ votes and some people considering their options,’ one GOP lawmaker granted anonymity to speak candidly told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
That lawmaker also accused Johnson of using President-elect Donald Trump’s own support for the Louisiana Republican as cover.
Johnson won unanimous support to be speaker again in House Republicans’ closed-door elections earlier this year, hours after Trump told lawmakers he supported him.
He needs almost the same level of support in early January, when the entire House votes to elect a new speaker. With just a slim majority, Johnson can only afford to lose a few members of the House GOP to still win the gavel.
Former House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry, R-Pa., was asked by Fox News on Monday night if, depending on Johnson’s handling of the CR, some Republicans could initially vote against him on Jan. 3.
‘I think that’s potentially a possibility,’ Perry said.
Another Republican said they would consider opposing Johnson’s speakership bid in January if it were not for Trump’s backing.
‘Everything’s got consequences,’ Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said when asked if Johnson’s handling of the CR would impact the January vote.
Several Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital said they felt blindsided by what they viewed as last-minute additions to the CR, which they anticipated would be relatively free of unrelated policy riders.
Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., was furious about health care provisions included in discussions in recent days that would lessen the power of Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). He said Johnson indicated that the CR would be a ‘clean’ funding extension without added policies.
‘We talked with the speaker up until this weekend, the only discussion was ‘How long is this clean CR going to be?’ And suddenly we find out – I heard rumors over the weekend – they’re negotiating with a health care package that included PBM stuff,’ Burlison said.
‘I think it’s absolutely disgusting to bring forward a several-thousand-page bill that nobody’s read, even today, nobody’s even seen it, and then they expect us to vote on it without any debate.’
Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told reporters, ‘Swamp is going to swamp, right?’
‘Fourteen hundred pages. Still haven’t seen the text. Multiple subject matters. Important health care legislation in the context of extenders piled on the back of a three-month CR with about $110 billion unpaid for,’ Roy said. ‘This is not the way to do business.’
Roy has also spoken out against a rumored provision expanding ethanol sales.
‘E15 should not be in this disastrous CR/Supplemental, among most of the things being discussed – including a PBM bill that Pharma is dancing in the streets over… Call me crazy, but we should reduce the deficit and not pass stupid policies,’ Roy wrote on X.
The legislative text for the CR was originally expected to come out on Sunday, but as of late Tuesday morning, negotiations were close to an end but still ongoing. It is putting lawmakers perilously close to their Friday shutdown deadline.
Johnson dismissed any concerns about his job during his weekly press conference Tuesday.
‘I’m not worried about the speaker vote,’ he said. ‘We’re governing. Everybody knows we have difficult circumstances. We’re doing the very best we can under those circumstances.’
Johnson also maintained he wanted to give lawmakers 72 hours to read the bill before a vote – meaning it would come Friday earliest if released today.
However, even rank-and-file lawmakers who are not threatening Johnson’s job said there are frustrations about the situation.
Rep. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis., whose district has a significant agricultural sector, said some lawmakers were concerned that farm policy provisions in the CR would hinder Congress’ negotiation for a new Farm Bill, comprehensive legislation setting food and agricultural policy that is set to expire this year.
The CR is expected to include a one-year extension of the current Farm Bill, plus added subsidies.
‘I think there are members that just wish we were being a bit more comprehensive and deliberate in passing a Farm Bill,’ Fitzgerald said. ‘There’s been very little back-and-forth with members on specific issues.’
Fox News’ Tyler Olson contributed to this report.