Far-Right Rebels Against Mike Johnson’s Government Funding Bill

WASHINGTON — Several far-right Republicans have come out against a plan by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to pair must-pass government funding with a bill targeting the supposed threat of widespread noncitizen voting.

At least six Republicans have said they would vote against the bill, which is likely more than Johnson can lose without having to rely on Democratic votes to push legislation through the House.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said he’ll vote against the bill because it doesn’t have enough spending cuts or reforms to government programs.

“You’re forcing me as a conservative to vote for terrible spending packages, all this woke stuff, possibly money for abortions, for transgender surgeries, all these things,” Burchett told HuffPost on Tuesday after a Republican meeting in the Capitol basement.

Burchett noted that the House already passed election integrity provisions, in the bill known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, and the Democratic-controlled Senate simply ignored it.

“And they haven’t caught any heat over it,” Burchett said.

Now, Johnson wants to pair that with the funding bill. Five other House Republicans said Monday they wouldn’t support the bills paired together, according to Politico. If all members are present for a roll call, Republicans can lose only four votes without needing Democratic support. Five Democrats supported a stand-alone version of the SAVE Act earlier this year but would not necessarily do so again.

“Stand-alone pieces of legislation are different than poison pill bills put into government funding spending,” Rep. Pete Aguilar (Calif.), a member of the House Democratic leadership team, said Tuesday. “A lot of the attack ads have already been