Speaker Mike Johnson acknowledged several GOP lawmakers have “hesitation” over backing the six-month extension of government funding that he and President Donald Trump are pushing ahead of a Friday midnight shutdown deadline.
“But I think once people understand the necessity of it, I think they’ll get on board and we’ll pass it,” he told reporters Tuesday. A group of House Republicans is meeting with Trump at the White House tomorrow as top party leaders try to get members on board with the patch running through September.
Johnson said his goal is to put the funding bill on the House floor “early next week.” Legislative text is expected to be released this weekend, said Republicans granted anonymity to describe private plans; Johnson said it would include additional defense funding requests from the Trump administration for defense as well as “very minimal” other additions.
Johnson also said Trump ally Elon Musk will “give an update on his efforts” and “answer questions” when he speaks to House Republicans tomorrow night. The speaker said “a big part of it” will deal with codifying cuts made by Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency in the next fiscal year’s spending bills, which would go into effect in October.
House Republicans are under pressure to carry the vote themselves, with Democrats under pressure of their own to push back on Trump and Musk and reverse the program and job cuts they have made — something GOP leaders are calling a nonstarter.
