by Mary Lou Masters
The House Freedom Caucus (HFC) came out against Republican Speaker Mike Johnson’s continuing resolution (CR) to temporarily fund the government ahead of the vote on Tuesday, according to a press release.
Johnson’s two-part plan, the “Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act of 2024,” would avert a Nov. 17 government shutdown by issuing both a Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 funding deadline when certain spending legislation would expire, according to the bill’s text. The HFC is opposing the “clean” CR because it doesn’t provide any spending cuts or other conservative provisions, the press release reads.
“The House Freedom Caucus opposes the proposed ‘clean’ Continuing Resolution as it contains no spending reductions, no border security, and not a single meaningful win for the American People,” the press release reads. “Republicans must stop negotiating against ourselves over fears of what the Senate may do with the promise ‘roll over today and we’ll fight tomorrow.’”
HFC Official Position on CR: No More “Rolling Over Today To Fight Tomorrow” pic.twitter.com/8rE2VbRCbe
— House Freedom Caucus (@freedomcaucus) November 14, 2023
Under Johnson’s CR, the appropriations bills for Agriculture, Energy-Water, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Transportation-Housing and Urban Development are extended to the Jan. 19 deadline, while the remaining eight pieces of funding legislation will be extended through Feb. 2. The legislation does not include any funding provisions for Israel or Ukraine.
“This two-step continuing resolution is a necessary bill to place House Republicans in the best position to fight for conservative victories,” Johnson said in a statement on Saturday. “The bill will stop the absurd holiday-season omnibus tradition of massive, loaded up spending bills introduced right before the Christmas recess. Separating out the CR from the supplemental funding debates places our conference in the best position to fight for fiscal responsibility, oversight over Ukraine aid, and meaningful policy changes at our Southern border.”
Johnson did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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Mary Lou Masters is a reporter at Daily Caller News Foundation.
Background Photo “Mike Johnson” by Mike Johnson.
