Hardline Republicans in Congress are arguing over a deal President Mike Johnson struck with Democrats to avoid a partial government shutdown that would begin later this month.
Congressional leaders unveiled the roughly $1.66 trillion spending deal on Sunday, charting a path to keep D.C. fully operational, only for fiscal hawks to complain that Johnson (R-La.) had given up too much ground. to the Democrats.
The howls from Johnson’s right flank are reminiscent of the spending scandal that doomed his predecessor as president, former Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), three months ago.
Right-wing revolt
Johnson had presented the deal as a $1.59 trillion discretionary budget pact, with $888 billion for defense and $704 billion for non-defense spending.
However, the deal is accompanied by $69 billion in additional spending, bolstering the total figure for fiscal year 2024, which ends Sept. 30.
Mike Johnson is dealing with a fractious and razor-thin Republican majority in the House. AFP via Getty Images
“It’s even worse than we thought. Don’t believe the spin,” conservative House Freedom Caucus angry with X.
“Once you get past the typical Washington math, the true total level of programmatic spending is $1.658 trillion, not $1.59 trillion. “This is a total failure.”
McCarthy had presided over a $1.59 trillion spending deal as part of a deal to raise the debt ceiling reached in May of last year.
Marjorie Taylor Greene quickly expressed her disapproval of the compromise plan. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Even that wasn’t enough for some Republicans, who pushed for spending to be reduced closer to the $1.47 trillion mark.
Last November, the Freedom Caucus leadership appeared to signal a softening stance in the face of Democratic intransigence.
A month later, the group sounded the alarm about possible side deals forged by Republican and Democratic leadership.
I am a NO to Johnson Schumer’s budget agreement.
This $1.6 trillion budget deal does nothing to secure the border, stop the invasion, or stop the armed government from targeting Biden’s political enemies and innocent Americans.
So much for the power of the bag!
– Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) January 8, 2024
With Sunday’s announcement, those complaints have become public again.
“I am a NO to the Johnson Schumer budget deal,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). published in X Sunday night.
“This $1.6 trillion budget deal does nothing to secure the border, stop the invasion, or stop the armed government from targeting Biden’s political enemies and innocent Americans. “So much for the power of the bag.”
A $1,659 overspend is terrible and reveals the leverage achieved in the (no longer great) cap deal. We’ll wait to see if we get meaningful policy provisions… but 1) the NDAA was not a good step forward and 2) as usual, we continue to spend more money we don’t have.
-Chip Roy (@chiproytx) January 7, 2024
Greene had been a key McCarthy ally despite breaking with him on some issues.
“One dollar[.]659 [trillion] The top spending line is terrible and reveals the leverage achieved in the (no longer great) cap deal. We will wait to see if we get meaningful policy provisions,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) published in X.
“1) the NDAA was not a good move and 2) as always, we continue to spend more money we don’t have.”
Johnson argued in a “Dear Colleague” letter on Sunday that the spending plan would trigger a “fight over important political players.”
“If this is the best Republicans can do, there is no hope of balancing our budget or securing the border,” lamented Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC).
“For Republicans to accept spending levels $69 billion higher than last summer’s debt ceiling ‘deal,’ without significant political victories, is just another loss for America. At some point, having a majority in the House has to matter. Stop funding this expense with an open border! added newly appointed Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Bob Good (R-Va.).
For Republicans to accept spending levels $69 billion higher than last summer’s debt ceiling “deal,” without significant political victories, is just another loss for America. At some point, having a majority in the House has to matter. Stop funding this expense with an open border!
– Congressman Bob Good (@RepBobGood) January 7, 2024
Some Republicans defend the plan
Matt Gaetz, who led the mutiny against President Johnson’s predecessor, had not said anything about the deal as of Monday afternoon. AP
Despite the anger of some conservatives, other Republicans backed Johnson.
“I am encouraged that the president and Democratic leaders have identified a path to complete FY 2024 appropriations.” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Sunday.
“The United States faces serious national security challenges and Congress must act quickly to deliver the year-round resources this moment requires.”
I am encouraged that the president and Democratic leaders have identified a path to complete appropriations for fiscal year 2024. The United States faces serious national security challenges and Congress must act quickly to deliver the full-year resources this moment requires.
– Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) January 7, 2024
A handful of rank-and-file Republicans upset their peers over the high expectations set for the appropriations process.
“Are we learning that negotiating with Democrats in the White House and Senate with a slim majority is difficult and that you can’t get everything you want, no matter who is in the president’s office?” asked Rep. Mike Collins (R-Ga.) in X.
“If you don’t let your leaders lead, you end up in chaos. And now it’s getting to the point where you can just say no and still be…credible,” Rep. Greg Murphy (R-N.C.) told Fox News.
Are we learning that negotiating with Democrats in the White House and Senate with a slim majority is difficult and that you can’t get everything you want, no matter who is in the president’s office? https://t.co/aspRsWUh4B
– Representative Mike Collins (@RepMikeCollins) January 8, 2024
Johnson himself highlighted some of the Republican benefits of the pact, specifically the “more than $16 billion in additional spending cuts to offset discretionary spending levels.”
Politico reported that the framework figure was $30 billion less than what Senate Democrats were seeking.
A delicate dance for Johnson
Now that maximum spending levels appear to be settled between the two chambers, Congress must embark on a mad dash to pass 12 appropriations bills before the Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 shutdown deadlines.
Kevin McCarthy was deposed as president amid the Republican Party’s uproar over government spending. REUTERS
If Congress still has a stopgap resolution in place of regular appropriations funding by the end of April, that could trigger automatic cuts, according to Democratic appropriators.
Johnson has previously ruled out another stopgap spending patch.
Also complicating matters are calls from some conservatives to combine Republican demands for border security with legislation to prevent a shutdown.
The spending deliberations mark another key test for President Johnson. AFP via Getty Images
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), one of the lead negotiators of a border deal in the Senate, said Sunday that lawmakers will remove language on a supplemental spending bill “hopefully this week.”
Republicans have also demanded improvements to border security in exchange for supplemental aid to war-torn Ukraine, which is expected to run out in the coming weeks.
One silver lining for Johnson in the spending dispute is that a group of Democrats have expressed support for the package.
In May, 71 Republicans voted “no” on the debt ceiling deal, but 165 Democrats helped pass it.
The House currently has 220 Republicans and 213 Democrats, and the GOP number is expected to fall to 219 when Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) resigns later this month to take over as president of Youngstown State University.
Additionally, Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) is expected to be absent for much of January to receive treatment for blood cancer, further reducing the GOP’s numbers.
Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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