House Conservatives Press For Continuing Resolution Into 2025

The conservative Republican House Freedom Caucus has increased pressure on House GOP leadership to support a short-term government funding bill into early 2025, calculating that an end-of-year omnibus funding package could benefit Democrats.

• The group said in a statement they believe that House Republicans, "should return to Washington to continue the work of passing all 12 appropriations bills to cut spending and advance our policy priorities. If unsuccessful... government funding should be extended into early 2025 to avoid a lame duck omnibus that preserves Democrat spending and policies well into the next administration.”
• Politico notes: “The ultra-conservative group’s position ... is a preview of the headaches that Speaker Mike Johnson [R-LA] faces as he tries to unite a disparate conference on the funding bill ahead of an Oct. 1 deadline...”
• The Hill notes: “Other House Republicans have worried that extending government funding past the end of the year could backfire, because a Trump victory in 2024 — let alone the party keeping control of the House and winning the Senate — is not certain, and extending funding could give Democrats the chance to enact an even more liberal funding plan than what a lame-duck President Biden could sign in a December omnibus.”
• Johnson said last week: “We’re having some very thoughtful discussion about the pros and cons of the various strategies on [a Continuing Resolution], and that decision is not yet determined, but it will be very soon.”