Freedom Caucus wants a one-year CR as shutdown deadline approaches

The House Freedom Caucus on Wednesday urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to advance a one-year continuing resolution (CR) bill ahead of the March 1 deadline to avert a government shutdown.

The conservative congressional bloc has long advocated for substantive spending cuts to address the national debt, though the Democratic-majority Senate and President Joe Biden have strongly objected to such proposals. Faced the prospect of limited concessions on the budget and policy initiatives, the group has urged Johnson to pursue the stopgap.

"With the expiration of government funding rapidly approaching, negotiations continue behind closed doors and as a result, we anticipate text for likely omnibus legislation that we fear will be released at the latest moment before being rushed to the floor for a vote. House Republicans should not be left in the dark on the status of the spending levels and hard-fought policy provisions," they wrote to Johnson, according to The Hill.

The Caucus pointed to a litany of proposals, including border security, abortion, diversity, and other issues that they sought to include as riders in a prospective budget.

"If we are not going to secure significant policy changes or even keep spending below the caps adopted by bipartisan majorities less than one year ago, why would we proceed when we could instead pass a year-long funding resolution that would save Americans $100 billion in year one?" they asked.

With narrow control of the House, Johnson has faced pressure both the moderate and conservative wings of his party for concessions on policy issues, including ongoing calls to agree to a vote on a foreign aid package to Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine.

The House in January approved a short-term spending bill to split the deadlines to fund government agencies between March 1 and March 8.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter.