Congress is facing mounting tensions as a small group of hardline Republicans forced a House floor vote to fail on Wednesday afternoon.
The move appeared to be a shot at Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., for working with Democrats on a bipartisan path to avoiding a government shutdown. The unexpected rebellion temporarily paralyzed the House floor, with Freedom Caucus Chair Bob Good, R-Va., warning that they would do it again if their demands for certain commitments from Johnson on spending and the border were not met.
The tension escalated when Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, confronted Johnson immediately following the failed vote. Both men were visibly agitated, gesturing and shaking their heads as a group of lawmakers and staffers gathered around them. The confrontation was seen as a reflection of the growing criticism of Johnson since he announced a spending deal with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., on Sunday.
The rebellion was led by thirteen members of the House Freedom Caucus and their allies, who voted against their own party on what is known as a rule vote. This is a procedural measure that clears the way for a final vote on a bill’s passage. It is rare for a rule vote to fail and the last time it happened was in 2002. The group of Republican hardliners has used this tactic numerous times in the past year to try to block legislation.
After the protest vote, many of the rebels were seen following Johnson into his office just off the House floor. Good spoke to reporters outside the chamber, stating that the announced deal does not do enough to secure the border or address spending concerns.
He criticized the fact that the deal is set to pass with predominantly Democratic votes and declared it unacceptable. He also stressed that the American people cannot afford for Congress to continue passing messaging bills that go nowhere.
Other members of Congress expressed frustration over the public disarray within the House Republican majority. One lawmaker told Fox News Digital that many have gone beyond being frustrated and are now angry. This sentiment was echoed by another conservative congressman, Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., who took to social media after the vote, challenging members who constantly vote against the rule and criticize Republican inaction to look in the mirror for the answer.
The standoff between hardline Republicans and Speaker Johnson has been brewing since Sunday when the spending deal was announced. The deal sets a statutory limit of $1.59 trillion for discretionary government funding and honors a previous side deal between Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and President Joe Biden for an additional $69 billion. However, Johnson claims to have succeeded in securing an additional $16 billion in cuts for this fiscal year to offset some of the added spending.
One of the major challenges facing Johnson is negotiating with a Democratic Senate and White House. This leaves him with little room to maneuver when trying to secure funding for Republican priorities. Government funding is set to expire in two stages, with some agencies running dry after Jan. 19 and others after Feb. 2. If Congress does not take action to avoid these deadlines, a government shutdown could occur.
The unexpected rebellion and subsequent confrontation highlight the deep divide within the Republican Party in Congress. Some members believe that hardline tactics like voting against rule votes are not helpful or productive, while others argue that it is necessary to make a statement and show their discontentment with the current state of affairs.
As Congress faces the challenge of avoiding a government shutdown, tensions are likely to continue rising as Republicans struggle to find a unified approach to addressing spending and the border.