Staff Reports
House Speaker Mike Johnson stepped into the lion’s den this week, facing off against critics within his own party who claim that the stopgap funding bill, designed to avert a government shutdown looming on Friday, has morphed into a monstrous spending package. Initially touted as a straightforward solution, Johnson now acknowledges that this bill isn’t just about keeping the lights on; it has ballooned to include goodies like disaster aid and farm subsidies. If this were a diet plan, it would certainly have gone off the rails.
Johnson tried to differentiate his proposal from the dreaded “omnibus” bills that GOP members love to hate. He was quick to emphasize that this bill is merely a “small spending patch” that had to accommodate necessities beyond their control—because, apparently, the federal government had to step in for things that are not the product of human negligence. One might wonder what’s on his holiday shopping list this year—perhaps some fiscal responsibility to combat these so-called “unpreventable” disasters.
Speaker Mike Johnson defends spending bill amid Republican oppositionhttps://t.co/uAU9tQJzbV pic.twitter.com/rAuV4rbIEj
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) December 18, 2024
As lawmakers scramble to finalize this hodgepodge of a bill before they head home for the holidays, expectations are set for it to include President Biden’s hefty $100 billion in disaster aid and an additional $10 billion for farmers. This stopgap, referred to by insiders as a continuing resolution (because who doesn’t love more jargon?), is designed to delay any real budget showdown until March 14. If procrastination were an Olympic sport, Congress would surely be bringing home gold medals.
However, the production of this bill has revealed the dark underbelly of congressional negotiations. With lawmakers still waiting for the text and the clock ticking down, Johnson’s approach has led to dissatisfaction among conservatives. A perfect storm of last-minute funding additions and an utter lack of spending cuts has many at odds with their own leader. It appears that once again, Johnson might find himself needing to cozy up to Democrats to ensure this bill passes by the deadline. It’s like trying to finish a group project in college—nobody wants to do the work, but someone has to make it happen.
Some GOP representatives have certainly not held back their disdain for the unfolding situation. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has expressed her frustration, suggesting that the bill feels more like a “three-month omnibus” rather than a quick fix. She critiqued why Congress wasn’t addressing more pressing issues like the impending debt ceiling in this rush. Meanwhile, Rep. Eric Burlison didn’t mince words, labeling the whole endeavor a “total dumpster fire” and lamenting the irony of celebrating cryptocurrency gains while simultaneously pushing for another deficit-busting billion-dollar allocation.
As the Republican Party finds itself in a tug-of-war between fiscal conservatism and the pressing reality of governance, one thing is clear: Johnson’s quick fix could become a bigger fight than anyone anticipated. The countdown to Friday continues.
