Republicans revolt against GOP speaker’s deal with Democrats to avert shutdown

CAPTOL HILL — Far-right Republicans are threatening another revolt after Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed on a topline spending number for 2024 as part of their negotiations aimed at averting a government shutdown.

It’s a late-in-the-game wrench in the machinery that has Washington analysts worried about whether Congress will be able to keep the government functioning — and predicting the imminent downfall of Mr Johnson.

Grumblings on the right wing spilled over into open rebellion on Wednesday and into Thursday as the House Freedom Caucus came out against the agreement negotiated between Mr Johnson and Mr Schumer, which set a topline spending number of $1.59 trillion for the fiscal year plus $69bn in “budget adjustments”. That $1.59 trillion number had been granted the support of the Freedom Caucus in December, making this week’s news all the more infuriating for Republican and Democratic negotiatiors.

“We’re making a statement that what the deal, as has been announced, that doesn’t secure the border and that doesn’t cut our spending, and that’s gonna be passed apparently under suspension of the rules with predominantly Democrat votes is unacceptable,” Rep Bob Good, the Freedom Caucus’s new chairman, told reporters.

Statements from multiple members of the group indicated that the Freedom Caucus was engaged on Thursday morning in talks with Mr Johnson about the prospect of changing the topline number or making other alterations to the legislation. Mr Johnson’s office has yet to comment in detail on the situation, while issuing a statement reminding his GOP colleagues of the relatively small size of their House majority.

“I’ve made no commitments,” the speaker added in a brief comment