Trump leans on House rebels to support funding extension- Washington Examiner


Trump leans on House rebels to support no-frills funding extension as Democrats balk

President Donald Trump is turning to the House Freedom Caucus, a small group of lawmakers known for their rebel-rousing tactics, to help usher in a stopgap measure to keep the government open.

Reps. Andy Harris (R-MD), Chip Roy (R-TX), Scott Perry (R-PA), and Lauren Boebert (R-CO) met with Trump at the White House Wednesday afternoon, where the hardline House Freedom Caucus members discussed tactics to avoid a government shutdown when current funding expires on March 14.

“There is overwhelming support to back the president’s agenda,” said Roy who has notably feuded with Trump in the past after backing Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) during the presidential primary last year.

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But Roy appears to have changed his attitude toward the Trump administration, telling reporters, “We’re ready to advance the ball next week and move this agenda forward.”

Trump and the Freedom Caucus are getting behind a plan for a long-term continuing resolution, or CR, to keep the government funded at current levels through Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year. Democrats and centrist Republicans like Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) have wanted a CR for a shorter period of time to buy time to negotiate a larger appropriations bill that would have various changes from the 2024 baseline.

“We’re going to work toward getting that continuing resolution in the form where we can pass it just like we did last week,” Harris added. “To all the people who said you could never pass that reconciliation bill with only Republican votes, wait until next week.”

Harris, the chairman of the Freedom Caucus, was referring to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) narrowly passing a GOP budget resolution in a 217-215 vote last week after hard-line conservatives almost tanked the effort.

Johnson is also hoping to avoid a government shutdown by passing the long-term CR, a move that in past times House Freedom Caucus members have opposed.

Yet Johnson is pushing forward, with Trump’s blessing, and hard-line conservatives appear to be falling in line.

The House members gathered outside the White House also told reporters they advocated to keep spending levels at their current levels for the rest of the fiscal year.

The move, Roy said, gives Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency and Russ Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget room to “do their job” slashing federal spending and the workforce.

But Democrats have stated they won’t support a CR that doesn’t put limits on Musk’s DOGE by requiring the Trump administration to spend funds appropriated by Congress. And with a tight GOP margin in the House, their opposition could prove a headache for Johnson who faces several factions within his party.

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) told the Washington Examiner he would not support the stopgap measure through September. He claimed that Roy and Rep. Jim Jordon (R-OH) would have to “sell me on it.”

House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) said Republicans intend to move forward with the long-term CR backed by Trump. Meanwhile, bipartisan talks continue, and Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said they are working on their alternate spending plan with topline numbers “imminent.”

Lawmakers, however, have already begun the blame game if a shutdown is not averted.

Perry appeared to blame any possible shutdown on Democrats when speaking to reporters.

“Our colleagues on the other side of the aisle are literally hoping and praying for a shutdown to stop the momentum of what the president’s agenda is and what the America agenda is,” he said.

Although House Freedom Caucus members stand behind Trump’s desire for the continuing resolution they still want to see the legislation before voting.

Harris claimed, “We haven’t seen the final … form of the CR. In concept, the president has said he needs this for his agenda. We support the President’s agenda.”

“The speaker has not yet released the text,” Roy added. “So until we see the text and we see what we’re talking about with respect to anomalies for defense and for veterans, for all of the things that matter, we got to read the bill. I know that’s shocking that we want to see 72 hours to read a bill.”

Lauren Green contributed to this report.



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