Mike Johnson faces conservative mutiny over Trump-backed plan to avert government shutdown

The Republican leadership's plan to avert a partial government shutdown at the end of this month could be thwarted by growing resistance from penny-pinchers within their own party.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson introduced a bill late last week that would extend this year's government funding through March via a standing resolution (CR), giving congressional negotiators more time to work out spending priorities for the coming fiscal year.

It is attached to a bill introduced by Republicans that would require proof of citizenship as part of voter registration.

By Monday evening, at least five Republican lawmakers had spoken out against the plan, so Johnson will almost certainly need Democratic votes to get the plan passed.

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Speaker Mike Johnson (Getty Images)

Although former President Donald Trump approved the plan, Johnson has little room for error given the razor-thin majority of just four votes in the House of Representatives.

Republican Rep. Cory Mills of Florida told reporters Monday that he and Reps. Tim Burchett of Tennessee and Thomas Massie of Kentucky all oppose it.

“I've made it clear that I'm against the CR,” Mills said. “For me, this is nothing more than a message.”

Fox News Digital has reached out to Burchett to confirm his stance.

Massie told Fox News Digital last week that he believes it was a mistake for Johnson not to push for a longer CR. Under a bipartisan agreement passed last year, extending the CR beyond April 30 would automatically trigger a 1% cut in government funding.

“Speaker Johnson has this in front of him. The 1% cut is written into law. All we need is a one-year CR to get it going. When the April 30 deadline comes, he might even trade the cut for something. But he's afraid to even set a deadline for the spending cut,” Massie said.

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Rep. Cory Mills spoke out against the bill to reporters on Monday. (David Dee Delgado)

Republican MP Matt Rosendale of Montreal, who is retiring at the end of this year, also told Fox News Digital last week that he opposed the bill.

Meanwhile, Republican Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee Mike Rogers told Punchbowl News that he opposed the CR due to concerns in the defense community about the impact of an extension into the new year.

Just hours after returning from a six-week break, this incident sparked concern and confusion among Republicans in the House of Representatives.

“I think we should be talking to those five,” conservative Republican Dan Bishop, R-N.C., told Fox News Digital of the plan's opponents. “And I think those five should take responsibility for wasting some opportunities that were right there.”

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Meanwhile, Republican Rep. Mike Garcia of California, a security expert in a swing district, said he wanted to hear if Johnson had a Plan B.

“I think it's a good first position. I think, you know, the question is, [what is] Position two? Position three?” Garcia told reporters. “We don't have to share this with you in the media. But we should internally [have an] Understanding the strategy. And I think… hopefully we'll get more clarity on that.”

Lawmakers expect a vote on the plan on Wednesday, but enough opposition could force Republican leadership in the House to block the vote.

It's possible that some Democrats will vote for the bill. Five Democrats in the House voted with Republicans to pass the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act earlier this year.

But both Democratic leaders in the House and Senate have spoken out against the plan. The White House also announced on Monday that President Biden would veto the bill if it lands on his desk.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposes the Republican plan. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Johnson had told reporters earlier that day that he had no contingency plan in case of failure.

“There is no retreat. This is a just fight. This is what the American people demand and deserve,” Johnson said.

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This stance is likely to cause unrest among moderates, who fear that the political fallout from a government shutdown weeks before election day could cost them their seats.

“If we shut down, we lose,” one Republican told Fox News Digital last week.

Fox News Digital has asked Johnson for comment on the no votes.

Fox News' Tyler Olson contributed to this report.