Fox News host Brian Kilmeade pressed House Speaker Mike Johnson on Republican opposition to his two-step funding plan to avoid a government shutdown Tuesday.
Six House Republicans have publicly opposed the bill introduced by Johnson Saturday, which would extend the expiration of most funds to Feb. 2 and others to Jan. 19. The six Republicans opposing Johnson are Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, George Santos of New York, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Bob Good of Virginia, Chip Roy of Texas and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania.
Eight Republicans and every House Democrat voted to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy after he negotiated with President Joe Biden to pass a temporary resolution to keep the government open until Nov. 17.
“The last time a speaker combined with Democrats to pass something, that speaker lost his job. Are you concerned you’re gonna lose your job if this passes?” Kilmeade asked.
“I’m not, Brian. We’re doing something very different here by breaking it up and doing a ladder CR, we have a different process. It wasn’t Kevin’s fault, in my estimation, what happened before,” Johnson answered. “The circumstances were different than they are right now. By doing this, we actually allow ourselves to do our jobs and fight for our conservative principles. Some of the people you named are some of my closest friends, and I hate CRs. We shouldn’t do this, and we’re not gonna do it again.”
“Next year we’re gonna get back to the actual, lawful appropriations process that the American people deserve. But this is a necessary step to bridge that gap to get there and avoid a government shutdown,” Johnson continued. (RELATED: ‘The Best Position To Fight For Conservative Victories’: Speaker Johnson Announces Plan To Avoid Government Shutdown)
The bill, titled the Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act of 2024, would force the House and Senate to negotiate on the 12 regular government funding bills rather than a single omnibus funding package. Johnson said the continuing resolution (CR) would “fight for conservative values” by ensuring “fiscal responsibility” and making “meaningful changes” to Ukraine aid and the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
“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 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.”
Some Democrats are on board with the speaker’s plan, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer expressing support just one day before the bill is expected to be taken up in the Senate. However, Biden and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries oppose it.
“The notion of a laddered CR is another extreme, right-wing policy joyride that is reckless and would only crash and burn the federal government,” Jeffries said at his weekly news conference Thursday. “It’s a nonstarter.”
The White House framed it as an “extreme” and “unserious proposal,” though Biden did not commit to vetoing the bill, according to NBC News.
“I’m not going to make a judgment on what I’d veto and what I’d sign. Let’s see what they come up with,” Biden told reporters.