Conservative Lawmakers Push Back Against Restrictions on Government Efficiency Department Amid Shutdown Threat
A coalition of conservative Republicans in both the House of Representatives and the Senate is actively urging Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune to resist any attempts to curtail the authority of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in upcoming government spending legislation. The group’s firm stance comes as the deadline to avert a partial government shutdown on March 14 looms large, adding further pressure to the already complex negotiations between the two parties.
These lawmakers, known for their occasional dissent within the Republican ranks, have pledged their support for a clean continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year. This represents a departure from their previous opposition to stopgap spending measures, a reflection of their heightened concern over the potential consequences of a government shutdown.
In a letter addressed to Johnson and Thune, Senator Rick Scott and Representative Andy Harris, along with several other prominent conservatives, voiced their "deep concern" over what they perceive as Democratic demands to perpetuate "wasteful spending" through the funding agreement. The signatories, including several fiscal conservatives who have historically favored full-year appropriations bills over temporary measures, emphasized their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the president’s constitutional power to reduce government spending and save taxpayer dollars.
The letter explicitly warned against any attempts to use government funding legislation to undermine the president’s authority, urging Republican leadership to reject such proposals outright. The group underscored their willingness to back a clean CR to avoid a shutdown but made it abundantly clear that they would not tolerate any restrictions on DOGE within the spending bill.
The correspondence was co-signed by a total of 19 Republican lawmakers, including Senators Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, Cynthia Lummis, Marsha Blackburn, Tommy Tuberville, Eric Schmitt, Ted Budd, and Bernie Moreno, as well as Representatives Anna Paulina Luna, Ralph Norman, Barry Moore, Clay Higgins, Andrew Clyde, Andy Ogles, Andy Biggs, Brandon Gill, Paul Gosar, Sheri Biggs, and Mark Harris.
Senator Rick Scott, the newly appointed chairman of the Republican Senate Steering Committee, a group of conservative senators dedicated to influencing policy and priorities within their conference, is spearheading the effort. The group believes that it is crucial to prevent Democrats from leveraging the spending bill to restrict President Trump’s ability to implement his agenda and deliver on his promises to the American people.
Speaker Johnson’s office directed inquiries to a recent interview where he indicated his preference for a clean CR to avoid separate appropriations bills, citing Democratic demands to limit the president’s authority. He specifically mentioned the Democrats’ alleged desire to curtail the president’s power and expressed his hope for a reasonable resolution. Senator Thune’s office declined to comment on the matter.
Former President Trump has also weighed in on the shutdown deadline, acknowledging the challenges and expressing his support for a clean, temporary funding bill to extend until the end of September.
The House Freedom Caucus, known for leveraging the House’s narrow Republican majority to push for more conservative stances, and the Senate Steering Committee, known for their past resistance to GOP leadership actions, are playing key roles in this legislative battle.
As the March 14 deadline approaches, Republicans and Democrats remain at odds over a spending measure to avert a partial government shutdown. Democrats have voiced strong opposition to what they see as widespread spending cuts and federal worker layoffs implemented by DOGE under President Trump’s direction. They are now seeking assurances that the allocated funds will be spent according to Congress’s original intent, shielding it from the potential impact of DOGE.
Sources suggest that Democrats may seek to include a specific provision in the bill that would effectively hamstring DOGE, limiting its ability to implement further spending cuts.
In order to pass a spending bill and avoid a partial shutdown, Republicans will need to secure some level of Democratic support. The Senate requires 60 votes for passage, meaning at least seven Democrats would need to vote in favor of the bill, assuming that all Republicans also support it. While only a majority is needed in the House, securing full Republican support for any bill is not guaranteed, given the existing divisions within the party.
The clash over DOGE reflects a broader ideological struggle over the role and size of government. Conservatives see DOGE as a crucial tool for streamlining government operations, reducing waste, and ensuring fiscal responsibility. Democrats, on the other hand, view it as a vehicle for undermining vital government programs and services, harming federal workers, and prioritizing tax cuts for the wealthy over investments in public goods.
The outcome of this legislative showdown will have significant implications for the future of government spending, the president’s ability to manage federal agencies, and the overall balance of power between the executive and legislative branches.
