Internal Republican disagreement over House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) approach to the government shutdown became public during a private conference call, with Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) joining a growing number of lawmakers questioning the decision to remain out of session.
Why it's significant: While Republicans have largely presented a united front in keeping the House recessed and avoiding negotiations with Democrats, fissures in this strategy are beginning to show.
During the call, Crenshaw raised concerns about how the House would compensate for the lost legislative days, according to a source familiar with the conversation. The House has not held a vote since September 19. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Kevin Kiley (R-Calif.) also voiced their unease about being in recess during the shutdown, echoing previous statements they have made.
Behind the scenes: The sentiment of unease extends beyond those who spoke on the call. A number of Republicans are privately questioning the party's hardline stance of refusing to engage in negotiations with Democrats.
"I believe we should be negotiating the ACA tax credits and including that compromise in the appropriations bills," Representative Don Bacon (R-Neb.), a retiring moderate, told Axios. "We don't need it for the continuing resolution, but good faith negotiations within the appropriations process could break the stalemate."
The opposing view: Several Republicans emphasized to Axios that while doubts about Johnson's strategy are being expressed more openly, the number of skeptics remains a minority within the party.
"I haven't heard this sentiment widely," one senior House Republican stated. Representative Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, expressed his support for the Speaker's plan, telling Axios, "The speaker's play call is correct."
Current situation: The House is on pace for one of its least active non-election years in recent history and has largely sidelined itself from discussions about reopening the government.
Johnson has consistently argued that the House has fulfilled its duty by passing a temporary government funding measure. He has stated that he will not recall lawmakers until the Senate approves the continuing resolution.
The bottom line: The objections from a handful of members are unlikely to sway Speaker Johnson from his current course.
At a press conference last week, Johnson asserted that "99% of the House Republicans" are in agreement with his decision to keep the House out of session. Following the concerns raised by the three members on the call, House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) voiced his support for the Speaker's strategy, according to a source.
