Jim Jordan Says Democrat Border Proposal DOA

Update (2130ET): While word of a stopgap seemed like a done deal over the weekend, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) warned that it’s unlikely to be smooth sailing – telling Bloomberg Television that there’s no way the Senate border compromise would pass the House, and that he’s confident Speaker Mike Johnson will reject it as such.

“We’ve got to see the plan, but based on what’s leaked out thus far, there’s no way I’m going to go for that. There’s no way Speaker Johnson’s going to go for that,” said Jordan.

On Saturday, Johnson suggested that he wasn’t having it…

Absolutely not. pic.twitter.com/tkXma24r8M

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) January 13, 2024

According to the report, lawmakers aren’t quite as close as previously reported – though they are laying the groundwork for a possible stopgap funding deal that would keep the lights on until sometime in March.

House Republicans will speak tonight via conference call to discuss concerns over the border and a path forward on spending, Jordan told the outlet.

Meanwhile, Jordan said he and his staff are working to reissue a subpoena for Hunter Biden to testify in private as part of his committee’s investigation into the Biden family business dealings.

*  *  *

You’ll never guess what happened…

That’s right, folks! Our wise and benevolent lawmakers have once again averted debt ceiling disaster – after lawmakers in the House and Senate reached a bipartisan spending deal that will extend two major deadlines and keep the government operating … for six more weeks!

Until we get to do this all over again.

According to NBC News (so who knows), “The deal would keep the government funded until March, buying legislators more time to craft longer-term, agency-specific spending bills, following the agreement last weekend to set the overall spending level for fiscal year 2024 at $1.59 trillion.”

The new agreement moves upcoming government funding deadlines for different departments from Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 to March 1 and March 8.

The short-term bill, known as a continuing resolution or “CR,” will need to pass both the House and Senate before Friday at 11:59 p.m. to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson is set to hold a call with fellow House Republicans at 8 p.m. Sunday to discuss spending negotiations. Several hard-right Republicans have objected to the top–line spending deal he previously cut with Senate Democrats and have urged Johnson to go back on it, though he said Friday that the agreement remains intact. -NBC News

“The bipartisan topline appropriations agreement clears the way for Congress to act over the next few weeks in order to maintain important funding priorities for the American people and avoid a government shutdown,” said Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries – the top Democrats in both chambers.