Speaker Mike Johnson is fighting multiple separate revolts within his party while the vote on the Senate-backed budget resolution has been held open for nearly two hours.
Johnson has spent Wednesday trying to push a series of legislative priorities through his chamber, including the farm bill as well as the budget framework, which would set up a path for funding immigration enforcement amid a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security.
Midwest and farm-state Republicans have so far withheld their votes for the budget measure in a revolt over Johnson agreeing to decouple a measure from the farm bill that would have allowed year-round sales of E15—an ethanol-gasoline blend.
A large huddle of lawmakers on the floor with Johnson erupted in yelling at the speaker before he moved the meeting off the floor and out of earshot of reporters.
“Farm people want a farm vote. And corn-belt people want [renewable fuel standard] changes. So we’re trying to work through it,” House Budget Chair Jodey Arrington (R-Texas) explained. Those issues are not directly related to the budget resolution currently on the floor.
A separate group, made up of GOP hard-liners and rallied by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), stayed on the floor, arguing loudly with leadership staff and Arrington and racking up votes against the budget plan.
“We’re gonna have a big family meeting in here. We’ll get everybody on the same page,” Johnson told reporters as both groups eventually gathered in his office.
The House chamber emptied of lawmakers and the clock continued to tick up on the open vote.
“That’s the best way to have —get people to negotiate,” Johnson said of the open vote.
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