Mike Johnson Proves Republicans Aren’t Serious About Stopping Democrats’ Border Invasion
“The catastrophe at the [U.S. southern] border is affecting everyone, and it is top of mind for all the American people. … The first priority of the country is our border and making sure it’s secure. … It’s a catastrophe and it must stop.”
Those are the words of House Speaker Mike Johnson days before he and more than 130 House Republicans threw their voters under the bus by helping Democrats pass a massive government spending bill that included zero provisions addressing the Biden-facilitated invasion at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The $460 billion spending package advanced (339-85) by the GOP-controlled House on Wednesday partially funds Democrats’ authoritarian regime for the remainder of Joe Biden’s first term. Clocking in at 1,050 pages, the measure is reportedly stuffed with cronyist earmarks and received more support from Democrats than Republicans.
While $460 billion may not sound like much compared to the multi-trillion-dollar bills Congress normally passes, the deceptively named “minibus” is only one part of the spending binge America’s representatives intend to go on this month. According to Fox News, the six-bill package the House approved only pertains to “departments and agencies whose funding expires on Friday — Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA); the Justice and Commerce Departments; Energy and Water Development; the Department of Interior; and Transportation and Housing.”
“Funding tied to Congress’ six remaining bills, which include the Department of Homeland Security and the Pentagon, expires on March 22,” according to the outlet.
Of course, failing to include conservative priorities in the package prompted cheers from Democrats. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., who serves as the ranking member on the House Appropriations Committee, bragged about how Democrats “successfully defeated the vast majority of the extreme cuts and hundreds of harmful policy riders proposed by House Republicans.”
Despite their attempts, Johnson and House GOP leadership aren’t fooling anyone. It’s obvious that together these “minibus” bills amount to a massive omnibus that does little, if anything, to cut federal spending.
Republicans Surrender on the Border — Again
Equally infuriating is Johnson and House Republicans insisting they care about stopping Biden’s border invasion — at the same time they’re handing away their only leverage to end it.
On the day he and his party helped Democrats pass the first “minibus,” Johnson appeared on Fox News to advocate for the passage of the Laken Riley Act, a recently introduced bill named after the 22-year-old University of Georgia nursing student who was reportedly killed by an illegal alien the Biden administration allowed into the United States. According to PJ Media, the bill would “require the Secretary of Homeland Security to take into custody aliens who have been charged in the United States with theft, and for other purposes.”
While the bill cleared the House on Thursday, it’s highly unlikely the Democrat-controlled Senate would consider it on its own. But if attached, along with House Republicans’ border bill (H.R. 2), to a spending package to keep federal spending flowing — which is all anyone in Congress seems to care about — it would allow conservative priorities to be considered during funding negotiations. All Johnson would have to do is say something like this:
“Oh, the Senate won’t consider any provisions that secure the border? Well, I guess the House won’t be taking up any spending bills until you do.”
Seems fairly simple, no? Yet Johnson waived the white flag on the matter before the budget fight began. After the aforementioned border remarks following his meeting with Biden and congressional leaders last week, Johnson immediately moved to arguing about the importance of keeping government spending increasing with no spending overhauls or regular budget process.
“The other big priority for our country, of course, is the funding of our government,” Johnson claimed.
A “big priority” for whom, exactly? Riley’s family? Other victims of Biden’s open border policies? Christians and other conservatives being politically targeted by the Justice Department and U.S. intel agencies? If only Johnson would’ve enlightened us plebs about who among the GOP electorate is anxious to fund Biden’s authoritarian regime.
Yes, Biden could stop the border invasion today if he wanted. But he’s not going to, which means it falls upon Johnson and House Republicans to use the power of the purse to halt him in his tracks. But that would require a spine.
The unfortunate reality is, like with so many other issues, Johnson and Republicans don’t care about stopping Biden’s border invasion. For them, “#SayHerName” is just another campaign slogan they’ll parrot on Fox News to gaslight conservative voters into believing they’ll do something worthwhile to stop Biden — all while America continues its descent.
Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood
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