Conservatives put McCarthy on notice, pledge to oppose appropriations bills that don't sufficiently cut government spending

A coalition of 21 Republican lawmakers has drawn a line in the sand, warning House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that they will not support appropriations measures that fail to adequately address soaring government spending.

According to a letter that Fox News has posted, the lawmakers declared that they "cannot support appropriations bills that will produce a top-line discretionary spending level barely below the bloated FY 2023 level (already grossly increased by the lame-duck omnibus spending bill we all vehemently opposed a mere six months ago) and effectively in line with the cap set by the debt ceiling deal that we opposed and was supported by more Democrats than Republicans."

"Instead, we expect all appropriations measures – as laid out at the beginning of the 118th Congress – to be in line with the enacted FY 2022 topline level of $1.471 trillion, and to be achieved without the use of reallocated rescissions to increase discretionary spending above that top-line," the lawmakers asserted.

The GOP holds a majority in the House, but in order to pass bills without support from Democrats, most of the Republicans must stick together. Just a handful of Republicans could stop the House GOP from passing measures absent Democratic support. The 21 lawmakers who signed the letter hold more than enough sway to derail passage of a measure if they disapprove of it and Democrats are not supporting it.

"For unity to exist, we must have a clear mission to actually cut the total discretionary federal bureaucracy to pre-pandemic levels and end the empowerment of President Biden's radical woke and weaponized government," the conservatives explained. "Absent adhering to the $1.471 trillion spending level – and/or achieving significant policy victories such as forcing President Biden to sign H.R. 2 and take the steps necessary to secure the border – we see an impossible path to reach 218 Republican votes on appropriations or other measures."

The 21 Republicans who signed the letter include Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, Chip Roy of Texas, Bob Good of Virginia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma, Eric Burlison of Missouri, Eli Crane of Arizona, Byron Donalds of Florida, Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Matt Gaetz of Florida, Paul Gosar of Arizona, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Mary Miller of Illinois, Barry Moore of Alabama, Ralph Norman of South Carolina, Andy Ogles of Tennessee, Bill Posey of Florida, Matt Rosendale of Montana, and Keith Self of Texas.

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