BURSTSpeaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is looking at a plan B to fund the government ahead of Friday’s shutdown deadline as Republicans inside and outside the Capitol, including those from Trump world, slam his spending package.
The back-up option Johnson is examining is a “clean” continuing resolution, two sources familiar with the matter told The Hill. That would entail dropping the additional provisions that were included in the initial 1,500-page spending package negotiated by congressional leaders, including disaster aid and economic assistance for farmers.
The Speaker’s office declined to comment when reached by The Hill. Politico first reported on Johnson considering a plan B.
Talks of a plan B come as Johnson’s funding plan, which he rolled out on Tuesday, is facing intense criticism from Republicans of all stripes. On Wednesday, Trump told Fox News host Lawrence Jones III he is “totally against” the continuing resolution, following his allies Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy in slamming the measure.
Musk, who has spent considerable time with Trump since his election, wrote on X that any lawmaker “who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”
It remains unclear if Johnson will ultimately pull his spending package and put the “clean” continuing resolution on the floor. The Speaker has not yet scheduled a vote on the stopgap.
Switching would mark a win for hardline House conservatives, who railed against the stopgap for its sprawling nature. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), for example, told reporters on Wednesday “it’s not a CR, which is a continuation of the budget, it’s turning into an omnibus.”
If Johnson does, however, pull the negotiated spending package, the “clean” CR is not guaranteed to clear the lower chamber. Some Democrats are balking at the alternative plan because they secured a number of victories in the initial package, including full federal funding for the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
“Given the negotiations that have taken place, I don't think that that would be agreeable to a good number of the Democratic Caucus — perhaps the majority," Rep. Chuy Garcia (D-Ill.) predicted.
Garcia pointed specifically to the emergency disaster aid and several other provisions, including nutrition and health measures, he described as "essential" for securing Democratic support.
"So I think it would become hugely problematic if we depart" from the negotiated package, he said.
The negotiated spending package would fund the government at current levels through March 14, extend the farm bill for one year and appropriate roughly $100 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers, among other authorizations.
Mike Lillis contributed. Updated at 4:26 p.m.