Far-Right Rebels Against Mike Johnson’s Government Funding Bill

The House speaker’s spending plan lost critical support despite his inclusion of “election integrity” measures.

WASHINGTON — Several far-right Republicans have come out against a plan by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to pair must-pass government funding with a bill targeting the supposed threat of widespread noncitizen voting.

At least six Republicans have said they would vote against the bill, which is likely more than Johnson can lose without having to rely on Democratic votes to push legislation through the House.

Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.) said he’ll vote against the bill because it doesn’t have enough spending cuts or reforms to government programs.

“You’re forcing me as a conservative to vote for terrible spending packages, all this woke stuff, possibly money for abortions, for transgender surgeries, all these things,” Burchett told HuffPost on Tuesday after a Republican meeting in the Capitol basement.

Burchett noted that the House already passed election integrity provisions, in the bill known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, or SAVE Act, and the Democratic-controlled Senate simply ignored it.