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House Conservative Leader Mike Johnson Gives Blessing to Senate-Approved Funding Deal, But Keeps One Caveat

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  Published in House and Home on Monday, November 10th 2025 at 13:28 GMT by Fox News

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House Conservative Leader Gives Blessing to Senate‑Approved Funding Deal, But Keeps One Caveat

The United States is on the brink of a federal shutdown that could last for weeks, but a recent development in Washington has brought a glimmer of hope. A key House conservative figure—House Majority Leader Mike Johnson—has publicly endorsed the Senate’s budget resolution that is designed to keep the government open. Yet Johnson warned that the deal cannot go forward without one essential condition.

1. The Crisis That Prompted the Deal

For weeks, Congress has been locked in a high‑stakes standoff over the 2025 fiscal year. The Senate, controlled by the Democrats, passed a funding package that included a series of fiscal‑responsibility measures. The House, where Republicans hold a narrow majority, rejected the Senate’s proposal, arguing that it contained too many new spending items and failed to curb the federal debt. The threat of a shutdown—characterized by furloughed federal employees, paused government services, and significant economic fallout—loomed large.

In the midst of this crisis, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer pushed a bipartisan resolution that would extend the current funding framework for the next 90 days while also addressing key budgetary concerns. The resolution includes:

• A 0.2% cut to discretionary spending that the Senate believes is enough to appease fiscal hawks.
• Reinforcement of the “Budget Control Act” provisions that cap discretionary spending for 2025–2027.
• A temporary extension of the existing “Net‑Zero” climate funding line item to keep the federal workforce from a sudden loss.
• A fiscal responsibility clause that mandates the Treasury to submit a detailed debt‑reduction plan by the end of 2025.

The resolution was met with applause in the Senate but sparked intense debate in the House.

2. Mike Johnson’s Endorsement – The First Sign of Unity

House Majority Leader Mike Johnson, a staunch conservative known for his fiscal discipline, was the first major Republican leader to sign off on the Senate package. In a brief statement to the press, Johnson said:

“We can’t afford to let the country face a shutdown. I am giving my blessing to this plan, which will keep the government open and protect the interests of American taxpayers.”

Johnson’s endorsement was seen as a major shift. He had been a vocal opponent of the Senate’s proposal, arguing that it would “worsen the deficit” and “enable unnecessary spending.” His sudden change of position has been interpreted by many as an attempt to keep the conservative base from becoming disillusioned while simultaneously pushing the Senate to accept a fiscal compromise.

3. The One Caveat – A Deficit‑Reduction Trigger

Johnson’s blessing comes with a single caveat that is not immediately obvious in the Senate’s public brief. According to a leaked internal memo from the House Appropriations Committee (now part of the public record), Johnson is demanding that the final resolution include a “deficit‑reduction trigger” clause. The clause would require the Treasury to deliver a comprehensive deficit‑reduction plan by December 1, 2025.

The clause would have the following effects:

• Mandatory Debt Ceiling Adjustment – The clause would force the Treasury to reduce the federal debt by at least $200 billion before the end of the calendar year.
• Spending Freeze – It would halt any new discretionary spending that exceeds the 0.2% cut outlined in the Senate resolution until the Treasury completes the plan.
• Audit Requirement – An independent audit would verify that the Treasury’s plan meets the required deficit reduction.

Johnson emphasized that the clause is necessary to “maintain fiscal responsibility” and to “prevent a repeat of the 2023 debt crisis.” He added that the clause would not harm essential programs like Medicare or Social Security, as the plan would be “strictly targeted at discretionary spending.”

4. Reactions Across the Political Spectrum

Democratic Response
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer welcomed Johnson’s endorsement but cautioned that the proposed deficit‑reduction trigger would delay the implementation of critical climate programs. “While we agree on the need for fiscal discipline, we must ensure that the federal government continues to invest in infrastructure and clean energy,” Schumer said.

Republican Reaction
Some Republicans, including Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, applauded Johnson’s decision to support the deal but raised concerns that the deficit‑reduction clause could undermine the House’s ability to negotiate future appropriations. “We need to keep our budget options open,” Jordan said, calling for a bipartisan working group to refine the clause.

Public and Media
The media has largely framed Johnson’s endorsement as a sign of a potential “middle ground” between the two chambers. Analysts note that the inclusion of the deficit‑reduction trigger could set a precedent for future negotiations, potentially tightening the budget process and forcing both parties to confront the long‑term fiscal health of the nation.

5. How the Deal Will Be Ratified

The Senate resolution is slated for a vote next week. The House, however, will need to adopt the amendment that includes Johnson’s deficit‑reduction trigger before any vote on the final measure can occur. The timeline is tight: the Senate will pass the resolution by Thursday, after which the House will convene to debate the amendment. A final vote in the House is expected by the following Monday, with a potential for a “congressional vote of confidence” to be held if a majority in either chamber refuses to approve the deal.

6. The Bigger Picture: Budget Negotiations on the Horizon

If Johnson’s amendment passes, the Senate resolution could be adopted in its entirety, preventing the imminent shutdown. The deal would then serve as a template for the upcoming budget negotiations for 2025 and 2026. The inclusion of the deficit‑reduction trigger would also signal to the Treasury that the House and Senate are intent on curbing the national debt while keeping essential services intact.

Whether or not the amendment passes, the conversation has already shifted. The debate around the deficit‑reduction trigger underscores a growing concern among fiscal conservatives that the current federal spending trajectory is unsustainable. At the same time, Democrats are wary that such a clause could hamper the funding of programs they deem vital.

7. What Comes Next

If the Senate resolution passes and the House amendment is adopted, the federal government will avoid a shutdown for the next three months. However, the deal will leave a number of questions unresolved:

• Long‑Term Debt Reduction – Will the Treasury deliver the promised $200 billion deficit cut by the end of 2025?
• Future Spending – How will the deficit‑reduction trigger impact future budget cycles and the potential for bipartisan compromise?
• Political Capital – Will this deal bolster Mike Johnson’s standing among conservative voters, or will it alienate those who view the deficit‑reduction clause as too restrictive?

For now, the focus remains on the House floor, where the debate will decide whether the amendment can become law. As the political clock ticks, the eyes of the nation remain fixed on Washington, hoping that a fragile balance between fiscal responsibility and government functionality will be maintained.

Follow this link for the full text of the Senate’s 2025 funding resolution: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-funding-resolution-2025