Democrats dig in against Mike Johnson on government shutdown
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Photo: Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images
Democrats are locking arms against House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on government funding, vowing to use the process to try to roll back many of President Trump's efforts to upend the federal government.
Why it matters: Johnson attempted to shift the blame for a potential shutdown onto House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries' (D-N.Y.) shoulders Friday morning.
- The Democratic leader, Johnson told reporters, seems "to be trying to set up some sort of a government shutdown" and has been "unresponsive the past two days or so."
- Jeffries pushed back on that claim, telling Axios later on Friday he is "continuing to negotiate a bipartisan agreement" ahead of the March 14 federal funding deadline.
- Republicans had still not released their proposed budget bill as of Friday, Jeffries also noted at a press conference.
State of play: Jeffries said Monday in a letter to his Democratic colleagues that he has "made clear to House Republican leadership" that "any effort to steal taxpayer money from the American people ... must be choked off in the upcoming government funding bill, if not sooner."
- The comment came after the Office of Management and Budget issued a now-rescinded memo freezing all federal grants and loans, which locked some states out of the federal Medicaid portal.
- Jeffries and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are also trying to counter Elon Musk's DOGE team with a bill to restrict access to the Treasury Department's payment system.
What we're hearing: Coming in and out of a meeting with Jeffries on Friday, several members of the centrist Blue Dog Coalition — the most likely Democrats to break ranks on government funding — signaled they are firmly behind their leader.
- "We're not saying we want a government shutdown," said Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas). "We're with the leader in negotiating but to say there are certain things that are important to us."
- Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) told Axios: "I think that the Republican Party won a mandate and have the votes that they need to pass the funding bill. If they can't get the votes themselves, they're going have to talk to Democrats."
Between the lines: The cavalier tactics of Elon Musk and DOGE — freezing funds and eliminating agencies that have been authorized by Congress — have embittered Democrats who may have otherwise been cooperative.
- "I don't see how any rational lawmaker ... could vote for a funding bill where the funding in the law could not wind up [serving] its intended purpose," said Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar (D-Texas).
- Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), a member of Jeffries' leadership team, told Axios: "I think we are very concerned about what Donald Trump and the White House will do, separate of our negotiations."
