Congress’ latest exercise in fiscal irresponsibility has been concluded after the passing of the latest $1.2 trillion omnibus spending package. Not surprisingly, the bill passed with bipartisan support.
Now, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) could be facing the Kevin McCarthy treatment after failing to stop the bill from becoming law. He has been taking barbs from the conservative wing of the GOP since replacing the former speaker. However, the passing of this bill could lead to yet another circus in the lower chamber.
The spending package was a controversial one. It was roundly criticized by hardline Republicans as a betrayal of GOP principles. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) was at the forefront of Republican opposition to the bill. On Thursday, he railed against Johnson and other members of GOP leadership for their “total failure” to pass a bill worth passing instead of yet another massive spending package that failed to address issues Americans care about.
“We know that radical progressive Democrats, led by Biden, want our borders to be open to destroy our sovereignty, to pile people into our country, to allow, yes, criminals who act like animals, as the former President said, to kill Americans. Yes, Democrats are doing that. And what's Republicans' response? Give them more money. Continue to fund it. Give Border Patrol even more money under this bill to do what? Process more people.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) responded to the passage of the bill by introducing a motion to vacate against Speaker Johnson, threatening to oust him the same way former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was removed from the position in January.
While she is not forcing the vote at the moment, she indicated she would do so if Johnson tries to pass legislation granting more aid to Ukraine. “I do not wish to inflict pain on our conference and throw the House in chaos, but this is basically a warning,” she said.
At this point, it could go either way for Speaker Johnson.
If he plays the game successfully, he could leverage several factors that could prove to be pivotal. Indeed, some Democrats have even indicated that they would be willing to support Johnson and shield him from an attempted ouster.
“It’s absurd he’s being kicked out for doing the right thing, keeping the government open. It has two-thirds support of the Congress, and the idea that he would be kicked out by these jokers is absurd,” Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.) told CNN on March 22.
He said he would vote to retain Mr. Johnson as House Speaker and hoped other Democrats would do the same.
Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.) expressed a similar sentiment in a March 22 post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“I do not support Speaker Johnson, but I will never stand by and let [Ms. Greene] take over the people’s House,” he said.
This seems to suggest that even if Johnson supported more Ukraine aid and Greene triggered an effort to remove him, the speaker might still be safe in his position. In McCarthy’s case, Democrats voted in solidarity to oust him. Only eight Republican lawmakers voted for the motion to vacate, but that was all that was needed.
However, if enough Democrats refuse to vote against Johnson, Greene’s warning might never come to fruition, given the slim lead the GOP has in the lower chamber. It is also worth noting that if Johnson manages to keep Ukraine funding out of future bills, he likely won’t have to worry about losing his position. It is highly likely that Johnson will continue holding the gavel for the near future.
Conversely, growing discontent among the base and Republican lawmakers could end up prompting a vote to remove Johnson. A slight majority of GOP lawmakers voted against the omnibus bill, which means they are at least pretending to favor fiscal responsibility. But even this amount wasn’t enough to block its passage.
It is entirely possible that this issue, along with others, might contribute to enough dissatisfaction with Johnson’s tenure as speaker to get enough of his colleagues to support his removal. If he is unable to balance enough support from both parties to remain in his seat, the nation could be seeing yet another circus in Congress as it decides on a new House Speaker.
During an election year, this could prove fatal to the GOP’s efforts to retake the White House and the Senate while holding on to the House. It would send the message that House Republicans are not taking their jobs seriously and are more concerned with palace intrigue than actually legislating. It certainly would not be the desired outcome for a party seeking to regain power.
As the dust settles on the latest legislative skirmish, the GOP could be facing a crossroads with Johnson. The path they choose will have significant ramifications for the future. The question is: Will they choose wisely?
