A plan by House Republican leaders to avert a partial government shutdown scheduled for later this month could be derailed by growing opposition from fiscal hawks within the party.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, introduced legislation last weekend to extend current fiscal year government funding levels through March through a continuing resolution to give congressional negotiators time to hammer out spending priorities for next year.
This is a companion to a Republican-sponsored bill that would require proof of citizenship as part of the voter registration process.
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Speaker Mike Johnson (Getty Images)
Although former President Donald Trump endorsed the plan, Johnson's slim House of Commons majority of just four votes gives him little room for error.
As of Monday evening, at least four House Republicans appeared to oppose the leaders' bill, meaning that with just one more Republican “no” vote, Johnson would need to secure Democratic support to pass the bill.
Rep. Corey Mills, R-Fla., told reporters Monday that he, Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., and Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Kentucky, all oppose the measure.
“I've made it very clear that I say no to CR,” Mills said. “To me, it's just a message.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Burchett to confirm his position.
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Rep. Corey Mills spoke to reporters on Monday in opposition to the bill. (David Dee Delgado)
Massie told Fox News Digital last week he thought Johnson made a mistake by not asking for a longer-term CR. Under the bipartisan agreement passed last year, any extension of the CR beyond April 30 would automatically result in a 1% cut to the government's budget.
“Speaker Johnson has this in front of him. The 1% cuts are by law. All he needs is a one-year deadline to implement them. He can trade the cuts for something else when the April 30 deadline comes. But he's afraid to even put a deadline on spending cuts,” Massie said.
Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Montana), who is retiring at the end of the year, also told Fox News Digital last week that he opposes the bill.
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Lawmakers are expected to vote on the plan on Wednesday, but strong opposition could force House Republican leaders to halt the vote.
Some Democrats may even vote in favor of the bill: Five House Democrats joined Republicans in passing the Protecting American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act earlier this year.
But Democratic leaders in both the House and Senate oppose the plan, and the White House announced on Monday that President Biden would veto the bill if it reached his desk.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposes the Republican plan. (Andrew Harnick/Getty Images)
Prime Minister Johnson told reporters on the same day that there was no back-up plan if it failed.
“There is no room for retreat. This is a just fight. This is what the American people want and deserve,” Johnson said.
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That could be a concern for moderates who worry that a government shutdown just weeks before Election Day could have political repercussions that could cost them seats.
“If we shut it down, we lose,” one Republican told Fox News Digital last week.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Johnson for comment on his no vote.
Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.
