Speaker Mike Johnson is holding firm to his position on needing border security measures in exchange for Ukraine aid.
Yet Johnson is still here with nary a challenge to his leadership.
Make sense?
Not really. But this is where we are.
Johnson found himself on the defensive several days ago when he and other leaders announced the latest punt. Some angry Republicans say they found out about the latest mulligan via Twitter or X. But Johnson called the fourth stopgap bill a "process CR." That’s short for "Continuing Resolution," an emergency bill which simply renews all funding at current levels to avoid a shutdown. But no one had ever heard the term "process CR" before Johnson deployed it.
Johnson said that Republicans would have "72 hours to review" the tranche of six bills which they welded together. That’s true. But the House voted in the early afternoon Thursday to simply re-up the old funding – even though that bill had not been posted for three days. House Republicans usually insist they have a three-day grace period before voting on a bill. But Johnson ditched that provision – although one could argue there wasn’t much to read since it simply greenlighted the old funding.
But a CR is a CR is a CR.
It’s still parliamentary putty.
Johnson swore he wouldn’t tangle with interim bills again.
Hence the new term a "process CR."
"We have continued with the CRs and the same policies that I voted against on September 30, the last act of the previous Speaker," complained Rep. Bob Good, R-Va., chairman of the House Freedom Caucus. "I've described it as a failure. I think it was another terrible decision."
REPUBLICANS SAY HUNTER BIDEN DEPOSITION REVEALS INCONSISTENCIES IN WITNESS TESTIMONY
The House voted to avert a shutdown 320-99 Thursday afternoon. But as has become de rigueur in the Republican-controlled House, way more Democrats supported the plan than GOPers. 207 Democrats voted yes. Only 113 Republicans voted yea. That’s a delta of 94 votes. Ninety-seven Republicans voted no. Only two Democrats voted nay.
Johnson was prescient earlier in the day about putting yet another CR on the floor.
"The appropriations process is ugly. Democracy is ugly," said Johnson. "It’s been a long road to get here."
Johnson’s homily failed to move Good.
"I actually had a Democrat member tell me this morning ‘We like it when you're in charge because nothing changes, but you guys get all the blame,’" said Good.
WASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 07: Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) arrives to a luncheon with Senate Republicans at the U.S. Capitol on February 07, 2024, in Washington, DC. The Senate failed to pass legislation consisting of immigration and border security tacked on with foreign aid for Ukraine and Israel, and are working toward passing legislation without including the border and immigration element that Senate Republicans take issue with. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Johnson continues to say that the House has broken the "omnibus fever."
Just for the record, there’s no clear definition in Congress as to what constitutes an "omnibus" bill or a "minibus" bill. However, it’s generally understood that all 12 bills latched together is an "omnibus." Anything less is probably a "minibus."
Still, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., saw the punt coming last week. He anticipated Congressional leaders dumping the bill on the floor as one massive bill.
"This is the old way of doing business where the leadership gets behind closed doors, disappears for a few weeks with something and says ‘take it or leave it,’" said Massie. "There are no amendments. There’s no changing it. And I think we need to reject that notion."
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What we haven’t mentioned yet is the SECOND slab of the remaining six spending bills due March 22. Those include more nettlesome, controversial policy areas. Defense. Homeland Security. And Labor/Health and Human Services. The latter two can be particularly tricky. That’s because the border is a major issue. So too is abortion and the recent Alabama Supreme Court ruling on IVF and embryos.
Congress may finally actually pass bills to fund the government this week. But the bigger test looms later this month. And all bets may be off for both Johnson – and the chances of a government shutdown – if lawmakers stumble with the next round of funding.
Chad Pergram currently serves as a senior congressional correspondent for FOX News Channel (FNC). He joined the network in September 2007 and is based out of Washington, D.C.
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