Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) accused House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) of “fabricating” a huge year-end spending bill that he claims is packed with Democratic priorities. , declared: Please take a hard look at who is leading this Congress. ”
“This is the same as the old days,” Hawley told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday. “This bill here will add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit, and the worst part is that it's all a Democratic priority.
“Why would we impose this terrible spending bill before Donald Trump takes office?” Hawley asked, referring to the 1,547-page short-term funding bill. The bill includes a series of additional measures, including $100 billion in disaster relief, economic aid for farmers, reform of pharmacy benefit managers, and pay increases for lawmakers.
“Let me tell you, we need to take a hard look at who is leading this Congress, because if this is their best bet, then that is total incompetence. This is a big deal. It’s a disaster,” Hawley said.
The Missouri Republican, who just won re-election, proposed language that would expand the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act to cover people in the St. Louis area who were affected by radioactive material left over from the World War II-era Manhattan Project. I was disappointed that funding was not included. .
Hawley accused the speaker of reneging on a bipartisan agreement to expand the program that expired in June.
He posted on social platform It was just him. ”
On Wednesday, President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) called on Republican lawmakers to instead pass a clean stopgap spending bill combined with a bill to raise the debt ceiling. The desperate spending package appeared to be headed for defeat.
“Republicans want to support farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country for success in 2025,” Trump and Vance said in a statement. “The only way to make that happen is through a combination of a temporary funding bill with no aid from Democrats and raising the debt ceiling. Anything else is a betrayal of our country. Republicans have to get smarter and tougher.” No need.”
One House Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, has already said he won't support Johnson as speaker because of the spending bill, and other Republicans are also considering alternatives to lead Congress. are starting to be discussed.
Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) said the talk about replacing Mr. Johnson is “more than I've ever heard.”
Emily Brooks and Michael Schnell contributed.
