Conservatives seethe over Mike Johnson and a broken promise
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Speaker Johnson speaks to reporters outside his office on Dec. 3. Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
House Speaker Mike Johnson is once again facing blowback from his own members, this time over the must-pass national defense authorization bill.
Why it matters: Johnson (R-La.) made a promise to conservatives this summer to end a revolt that had paralyzed the House floor. Now conservatives are frustrated that he's not following through, again.
- It's become nearly impossible for Johnson to keep everyone happy while navigating a tiny House majority.
What happened: In July, Johnson promised a group of conservatives, who were holding the floor hostage during crypto week, that the Anti-CBDC Surveillance State Act would be attached to the NDAA.
- Johnson, at the time, said he spoke with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) about the adding the provision to the must-pass bill, and told reporters he was "hopeful" that the Senate would hold the line.
- The Anti-CBDC bill was in the House-passed NDAA, but not it's not in the bill that will come to the House floor Wednesday, and likely be signed into law.
What they're saying: Conservatives are fuming about the measure's exclusion. "Leadership needs to fix this bill IMMEDIATELY." Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas) posted on X.
- Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) told Axios he will give "some amount of grace" on tomorrow's rule vote but plans to vote against final passage.
- "[I]t is frustrating, you know, but that does not all fully fall on the speaker. There are a lot of parties involved with that," Roy said.
- Three other House Republicans, Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), Michael Cloud (Texas) and Greg Steube (Fla.) have already said they plan to vote against the bill for various reasons.
Behind the scenes: House GOP leadership is worried about having enough support for Wednesday's rule vote — a procedural vote that typically falls along party lines. House Republicans have increasingly tanked rules votes to register opposition to leadership.
- If it's clear the rule won't have enough support to pass, leadership will have to consider bringing up the bill under suspension, which would require two-thirds support.
- Dozens of House Democrats are expected to support the legislation.
