“The Swamp’s first spending package is out,” Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.) wrote in a thread on X that ticked through “all the policy wins that were SURRENDERED during backroom negotiations.”
Members of the limited government constitutional conservative House Freedom Caucus have for weeks urged Speaker Mike Johnson to demand deep cuts in spending and scores of conservative policy changes — including tougher border security — as part of the 2024 funding packages moving through Congress this week.
However, Johnson’s weekend endorsement of a “minibus” deal, which includes six bills that will fund a slew of agencies through September, essentially ignores the policy and spending goals of conservatives and caves to the Swamp.
Unveiled Sunday, the six-bill spending package provides roughly $460 billion to fund a handful of agencies through September, including the departments of Agriculture, Interior, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, Veterans Affairs, Justice, Commerce and Energy. Congress faces a Friday deadline to pass the legislation, while funding for the remaining agencies lapses on March 22, reported Mike Lillis and Mychael Schnell of The Hill.
Lillis and Schnell report the agreement features some notable wins for conservatives and liberals alike, “lending leaders in both parties ammunition to sell the package to their respective ranks.”
However, conservatives, as opposed to Republicans, are not seeing much to support.
“This #omnibus spending bill (divided into 2 “minibus” bills to hide it) will spend $1.65 [trillion] ($30 [billion]+ more than Pelosi), is littered with earmarks, fails to secure the border, & punts almost every GOP policy win – thus, will fund most of Biden’s lawlessness & tyranny,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) wrote Monday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“House Republicans secured key conservative policy victories, rejected left-wing proposals, and imposed sharp cuts to agencies and programs critical to President Biden’s agenda,” Johnson said Sunday in a statement, reported by The Hill.
Johnson's team pointed to a number of areas where funding was slashed, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). House Republican “leaders” have also cited a provision that prevents the sale of oil in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China.
Those are good policy “wins” but many of them are in the out years and can and will be undone in future spending bills – and conservatives know it.
Mike Johnson is probably the most conservative Speaker that we could elect, given that Jim Jordan did not have the votes, nor did Byron Donalds, so where do we conservatives go from here?
Recognizing the tight spot the Speaker is in just months after ascending to the top job with what is now a two-vote majority it is time we conservatives got over the idea that one guy – the Speaker – can favorably resolve all the issues and policy objectives of the conservative agenda.
It’s time we recognized we have a 20-man problem, not a one-man problem, meaning we must nominate and elect more limited government constitutional conservatives to Congress – and ramp-up the pressure on the soft, but gettable, incumbents who don’t want to be primaried by spending hawks.
So, here are two things that you can do today to fight the #SwampOmnibus: First, The Capitol Switchboard is (202-224-3121), call your Representative and demand he or she vote NO on the two “minibus” spending bills when they come to the Floor this week. The second thing you can do is go to the Club for Growth list of endorsed candidates, and the House Freedom Fund list of endorsed candidates and donate or volunteer to help elect strong limited government constitutional conservatives to give Speaker Johnson the votes he needs to hold the line on spending in 2025.
Congress
Minibus
Speaker Mike Johnson
spending cuts
border security
Rep. Chip Roy
federal spending
Republican majority
national debt
continuing resolution
omnibus appropriations bill
regular order
PAYGO rules
Senator Rand Paul
Waive reading of the bill