Board members on the hardline conservative Home Freedom Caucus despatched a warning shot to Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) shortly after he was reelected on Friday, regardless of the members voting to let him retain the gavel.
The letter, signed by 11 members and led by Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris (R-Md.) and Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), mentioned that they voted for Johnson to be Speaker “because of our steadfast support of President Trump and to ensure the timely certification of his electors,” in reference to a Monday certification of the 2024 election.
“We did this despite our sincere reservations regarding the Speaker’s track record over the past 15 months,” the letter mentioned.
The signatories mentioned Johnson ought to have dedicated to numerous measures to make sure work will be performed shortly, together with modification of the Home’s calendar to be in session for 5 days per week as a substitute of three and a half within the first eight out of 10 weeks of the brand new Congress. Additionally they mentioned any reconciliation package deal ought to scale back spending and the deficit, members have to be allowed to supply amendments to laws and management ought to abide by a 72-hour rule to provide members time to learn and debate proposed laws.
The letter additionally mentioned Johnson ought to have dedicated to not counting on Democrats’ assist for passing payments nor push ahead payments that don’t have the assist of most Republicans.
“Now, Speaker Johnson must prove he will not fail to enact President Trump’s bold agenda,” the letter states, outlining seven areas that laws put ahead ought to cowl.
It known as for absolutely securing the southern border to cease unlawful immigration whereas enacting border safety reforms with out increasing immigration or amnesty, reducing spending to scale back the deficit and create a path to balancing the price range and reversing the Biden administration’s insurance policies, together with pupil mortgage “bailouts” and electrical car guidelines.
The letter additionally notably known as to “Not increase federal borrowing before real spending cuts are agreed to and in place.”
Greater than 30 Republicans voted in opposition to a short-term spending invoice in December that included a last-minute debt ceiling improve. Trump had requested that Republicans elevate the debt restrict earlier than he takes workplace so as to forestall Democrats from utilizing it as a leverage level subsequent 12 months. However GOP fiscal hawks balked at elevating the nation’s borrowing restrict with out slashing federal spending, and the invoice didn’t go.
The members additionally known as to “end stock trading by members of Congress.”
The variety of signatories — 11 — is notable given the brand new threshold to pressure a vote on ousting the Speaker.
Leaders of the Home Freedom Caucus and anti-chaos conservatives within the Predominant Road Caucus in November struck a deal to boost the edge to set off a snap vote on ousting the speaker to 9 members, and the Home Guidelines package deal textual content launched Wednesday mirrored that settlement.
“Personalities can be debated later, but right now there is zero room for error on the policies the American people demanded when they voted for President Trump — the ones necessary to save the country,” the letter states.
Additionally signing the letter have been Reps. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), Clay Higgins (R-La.), Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) and Andrew Clyde (R-Ga.). Nearly all of them had declined to disclose whether or not they would assist Johnson forward of the Speaker vote, although Higgins — a fellow Louisianan of Johnson — has been a supporter of Johnson.
