Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) defied the objections of the majority of House Republicans and pushed through a substantial $1.2 trillion government funding plan. This move not only violated the Hastert Rule, which was put in place to prevent Republican Speakers from collaborating with Democrats to pass legislation, but also crossed a dangerous line for the future of his speakership.
Despite facing opposition from 112 Republican colleagues, Johnson proceeded to send the bill to the Senate with only 101 Republican votes in favor. It is worth noting that Johnson and his leadership team exerted significant pressure to secure these votes. In addition to breaking the Hastert Rule, Johnson also disregarded a House rule that allows lawmakers sufficient time to review legislation before voting on it. The spending bill, which spanned over 1,000 pages, was presented to members less than 36 hours before the vote, in the early hours of Thursday morning.
The bill will now move on to the Senate, where efforts are underway to overcome obstacles and pass it as soon as possible. While a partial government shutdown would technically commence on Saturday morning after midnight, its significant impact would not be felt until Monday.
Ahead of the vote, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed a motion to vacate the chair, anticipating that Johnson might violate the Hastert Rule and due to objections regarding the overall process, policies, and spending outlined in the unpopular bill. However, this motion is not considered privileged and does not require immediate attention from the House. Nevertheless, Greene has the option to change the motion to privileged in the future.
By filing this motion on Friday, Greene has intensified the pressure on Johnson. Despite facing criticism from fellow Republicans, Johnson had not yet passed such a substantial spending bill against the objections of his party, who had entrusted him with the speakership just a few months ago.
The House is set to reconvene following a two-week Easter break, with Johnson potentially facing a rebellion from one side and pressure to approve billions in foreign aid from the other. Greene’s resolution serves as a caution to Johnson, warning him that he risks removal if he tries to allocate American taxpayer money to support Ukraine’s conflict with Russia. Assuming the Senate approves the bill as anticipated, Congress will promptly shift its focus to funding for the upcoming fiscal year, a matter that must be resolved before October. Johnson will encounter similar challenges in securing government funding by the deadline, but it is doubtful that his own party will support him in passing a funding bill against their wishes once more.