Boehner Confident Short-Term Spending Plan Will Pass
Speaker John Boehner said Tuesday that he is confident that the House will pass a stopgap spending measure that will keep the government funded through April 8.
The Ohio Republican’s comments come as conservative Republicans such as Reps. Michele Bachmann (Minn.) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Republican Study Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (Ohio) have pledged to vote against the latest short-term continuing resolution that cuts $6 billion in spending, arguing that it doesn’t make enough cuts and doesn’t address repealing health care or defunding Planned Parenthood.
Pressure to vote against the bill has also increased as third-party groups such as the Heritage Action Fund, Family Research Council and others have moved to “key vote” the bill.
“I understand some of our Members want to do more, but what is it in this bill that they disagree with?” Boehner questioned. “We’ll see when we get to the floor today. I’m confident this bill will pass.”
Boehner would not say whether he believed he had enough votes from within the Republican Conference to pass the bill.
“I don’t put myself in a box,” Boehner said.
The Speaker also put the Senate on notice, saying that the chamber needs to show what they are capable of producing so that real negotiations can begin.
“I want a long-term continuing resolution over as soon as possible, but I’m not going to negotiate with myself,” Boehner said.