The House is once again teetering on the brink of a government funding showdown as House Republican leaders prepare to narrow their majority to just two members.
Rep. Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday that he will resign from Congress, effective January 21, to become the next president of Youngstown State University.
It falls right in the middle of Congress's two government funding deadlines. Under the Continuing Resolution (CR) passed late last year, the House and Senate must reach an agreement to fund some agencies by January 19th and others by February 2nd. be.
But Mr Johnson's gap of just two seats is unlikely to last long. Congressman Brian Higgins (New York) said in November that he would leave Congress in February.
The House enters this year's holiday as the critical battle continues.
Congressman Bill Johnson (R-Ohio) will leave Congress on January 21st. (Getty)
Fox News Digital has reached out to Higgins' office multiple times to ask about the exact date of his resignation.
But if he stays past the first two days of the month, House Republicans will have little wiggle room in bipartisan negotiations to avoid a government shutdown unless a plan is developed by Feb. 2. .
Former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy resigned on Dec. 31, days before Johnson's plan was announced, reducing Republicans to a three-seat majority.
“Between God and gravity, indictment and retirement, depending on what happens, we're going to lose our majority in one more day.”
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In late December, in response to a question from Fox News Digital, some House Republicans, including Republican Conference Vice Chair Blake Moore (R-Utah), said the situation with Johnson and McCarthy's resignations meant that the majority He dismissed the remarks, saying it was not that different from the four House Republican seats. It operated under it for most of 2023.
Congressman Brian Higgins (New York) plans to leave Congress in February. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik/Pool/File)
“Driving with four people is difficult.” [majority]Driving with two people is difficult. [majority]. We have to be smart about what we need to do and do what we can all accomplish together,” Moore said.
But others who spoke to Fox News Digital about McCarthy's resignation were more circumspect. “Depending on what happens, between God and gravity, indictment and retirement, we're about to lose our majority in one day,” Rep. Mike Garcia (R-Calif.) said after McCarthy's announcement last month. Stated.
As deadline approaches, the Senate passes only three of 12 spending bills.
Government funding deals must be bipartisan, and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is currently working with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on top-line numbers. are doing.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, D.N.Y. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call Inc. via Getty Images)
But if Republicans lose just two House Republican votes to pass the bill, it will be harder to pull off conservative policies like those included in several spending bills passed by the House last year. Dew.
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Schumer told reporters Wednesday that he was hopeful a bipartisan agreement could be reached in time to avoid a shutdown.
“We're getting pretty close,” the New York Democrat said. “We are hopeful that we can get an agreement on the budget soon, and given the progress we have made so far, we are hopeful that we will be able to avoid a shutdown, which is certainly not the case, as some would say. It's not possible. “
