The House fell into uncertain territory Wednesday evening after House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pulled a scheduled vote on a key budget measure in the face of intractable right-wing opposition.
It is not clear what Johnson’s next steps are, with the speaker conceding to reporters that a Thursday vote is not assured.
The GOP speaker said he doesn’t have “any intention to have us working here this weekend,” but added, “If we have to come back next week, then we’ll do that.”
The vote was nixed after dozens of conservative fiscal hawks refused to back the Senate version of the budget blueprint that requires far fewer spending cuts than the version the House passed in February.
The withdrawn vote touched off a round of internal GOP finger-pointing reminiscent of the tumultuous days of the 118th Congress.
“The speaker sadly hasn’t communicated with any of us what’s happening,” griped one House Republican, speaking on the condition of anonymity.
“I don’t know why they’re pulling out, and that hasn’t been communicated to the rest of the conference.”
The lawmaker added: “It’s incredibly sad, disappointing and embarrassing that once again we’ve pulled another piece of legislation off the floor, and it just shows how ineffective the speaker is at his job.”
Johnson is now being pulled into negotiations with his right flank as he tries to find a way out of his bind.
He told reporters there are a “few different ideas on the table,” including amending the Senate bill or holding a House Republican conference meeting to hash out ideas.
Changing the bill, however, would force the Senate to vote once again — which could put the two chambers in a stalemate.
