Mike Johnson told not to count on Dems' votes to end shutdown
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Speaker Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Dec. 10. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) issued a warning to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Saturday: You can't rely on Democratic votes to end the partial government shutdown.
Why it matters: Johnson may instead be forced to try and get virtually all of his members to vote for the government funding legislation — a difficult task as some GOP lawmakers are already raising stringent objections.
Driving the news: Jeffries informed Johnson on a Saturday call that the Democratic votes wouldn't be there to pass the bill in a bipartisan manner, Republican and Democratic leadership sources told Axios.
- Democrats are hesitant to vote for the package because it contains a two-week stopgap funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security that lacks reform measures for ICE or Customs and Border Protection.
- Senate Democrats were split almost evenly on the measure in a Friday night vote, with the 23 Democrats who voted for it facing swift backlash from progressive groups who accused them of essentially voting to fund ICE.
- The call between the two leaders was first reported by Punchbowl News.
The intrigue: The two-week extension of DHS funding was negotiated by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and the White House to buy time for Senate talks on ICE reforms — a deal House Democrats are now resisting.
- Congressional Progressive Caucus chair Greg Casar (D-Texas) said Friday in a post on X: "My Progressive Caucus colleagues and I have been clear: not another cent to ICE until we stop the chaos and the lawlessness."
- "If this comes to the House, I'm voting no," he added.
What they're saying: "I've had conversations with Leader Schumer and Mike Johnson, I have had no conversation with the White House," Jeffries told reporters at a press conference Thursday.
- The Trump administration, he said, "understands that the only group of people that speak for House Democrats are House Democrats."
- House Democrats are scheduled to have a virtual caucus call Sunday evening, ahead of the House's return on Monday, to discuss the vote.
What we're hearing: "The progressives are 'no' because of ICE funding and we want [Republicans] to carry the water," a House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to offer a detailed readout of the party's internal discussions, told Axios.
- The lawmaker added that "there may not be enough" Democratic votes to pass the bill under a process known as suspension, which allows GOP leadership to bypass several procedural hurdles but requires a two-thirds majority to pass legislation.
- A senior House Democrat told Axios "there aren't that many [Democrats] right now" willing to vote for the DHS funding measure.
Zoom in: Instead, these lawmakers said, Republicans will have to pass what is called a rule, which will require them to quash virtually all their internal revolts.
- That could extend the partial shutdown, even if Johnson ultimately corrals enough Republican votes to pass the package.
State of play: Johnson's right flank has grumbled about the short-term extension for DHS.
- In a letter to President Trump early last week, the House Freedom Caucus made clear they don't support any changes to the DHS funding bill, and that opening the bill back up would prompt a lengthy list of demands from the group.
- A bloc of conservatives led by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) is also demanding Johnson attach the SAVE Act — a bill requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to vote in federal elections — to the package.
What to watch: Liberal groups are trying to stiffen House Democrats' resolve, urging them not to budge in their opposition to the DHS bill.
- "Our members don't support another dime going to this madness," Britt Jacovich, a spokesperson for MoveOn, told Axios.
- "It is encouraging to see House Democrats listening to Minnesotans and the vast majority of Americans who are demanding for ICE accountability."
Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional comments.
