Jefferies warns that abandoning the Johnson spending deal would hurt the economy

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (DNY) warned Thursday that House Republicans backing away from a bipartisan spending deal would guarantee a government shutdown and hurt the national economy.

„To the extent that House Republicans walk away from the deal announced just days ago, it will make it clear that House Republicans are determined to shut down the government, wreck the economy and hurt the American people,” Jeffries said. Press conference at the Capitol.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was one of four congressional leaders — representing both parties and both chambers — to approve a deal Sunday that would establish top-level numbers that dictate funding for federal agencies through the remainder of fiscal year 2024. October 1. The White House is also on board.

But Johnson's support has sparked an outcry from staunch conservatives in the House GOP caucus, many of whom are members of the far-right Freedom Caucus, demanding steep spending cuts in the name of deficit reduction.

On Wednesday, some of those conservatives surprised GOP leadership by resisting a procedural vote on unrelated bills to counter Johnson's support for the spending deal, signaling they were prepared to block all legislative action in the House unless the speaker reconsidered.

On Thursday, Johnson warmed to conservative agitators in his Capitol office, where many conservatives said Johnson was willing to drop his support for the initial deal and renegotiate terms within the House GOP.

„There's a new deal to be drawn up, and that's what we're working on,” Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) said after leaving the meeting.

Johnson, however, quickly refuted that assertion, saying that while he has spoken to various sections of his congress about their concerns about the deal, he has not abandoned his support for it.

„We're having a thoughtful conversation about funding options and priorities,” Johnson said. “Today we had a cross-section of members. We'll continue cross-sections and membership, and while those conversations are ongoing, I'm not making any commitments.

Jeffries, meanwhile, is pressing the Speaker to stick to his word, saying a deal is a deal.

„We have publicly and clearly reached an agreement on the top-tax spending number, which is 1659,” Jeffries said. „There is nothing more to discuss.”