Mike Johnson's continuing resolution in hot water as GOP reps announce opposition

Six Republican lawmakers have come out against House Speaker Mike Johnson's continuing resolution (CR) as of Monday night, which would have avoided a partial government shutdown next month.

Johnson on Friday unveiled a stop-gap bill that would keep the government funded through the end of March of 2025. However, the proposed legislation includes the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act. The SAVE Act requires voters to prove their United States citizenship in order to vote in federal elections.

The speaker can only afford to lose four Republican votes on the bill, which is expected to take place later this week, or else he would need to rely on Democrats for support. However, he is unlikely to secure any Democratic votes because of the SAVE Act.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers told The Hill that he will not support the resolution because of the impact it could have on the Defense Department.

“Six months are terrible for defense,” Rogers said. 

Fellow GOP Reps. Cory Mills of Florida, Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Jim Banks of Indiana, and Matt Rosendale of Montana have also said they will not support the resolution, according to the outlet.

“I haven’t supported a CR since I arrived here, and I don’t intend to start now,” Rosendale told reporters. “I think it’s a crutch that’s been abused by Congress for many, many years. And they … haven’t completed their work to deliver the 12 appropriations bills, as per the Budget Act of 1974.”

Banks said the vote was an "easy no" because he will not "vote to extend bloated spending for six more months, and grow the national debt [by] trillions of dollars more."

Johnson said that he has no "fallback position" when it comes to the continuing resolution, even as the White House threatens to veto the measure if it lands on President Joe Biden's desk.

“The Administration urges House Republicans to engage in a bipartisan process that keeps the Government open and provide much needed emergency disaster funding for Americans who are trying to rebuild,” the White House said. 

If the legislation fails to pass, then Congress will have just three weeks to pass a total of 12 funding bills by Oct. 1, in order to avoid the government shutdown.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just the News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.