WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Republican hardliners in the US House of Representatives have called on the house president, Mike Johnson, to abandon negotiations with Senate Democrats on bipartisan budget legislation to avoid a government shutdown and instead implement automatic spending cuts agreed upon by his predecessor.
The ultra-conservative Freedom Caucus, representing around three dozen of Johnson’s 219 to 212 majority in the House, promoted the idea in a letter at a time when congressional leaders are rushing to complete the legislation and avoid a potential partial government shutdown beginning next month.
The hardline lawmakers, whose demands for deep spending cuts and conservative policies stymied progress on budget bills in the House last year, are concerned that Johnson and Senate Democratic majority leader Chuck Schumer will soon introduce legislation with spending and policy compromises they reject.
