House Freedom Caucus Demands Border Security, DOJ Reforms, and Pentagon Policy Changes in Exchange for Support of Spending Bill

On Monday, the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservative and libertarian members of the House of Representatives, declared that they would not support a temporary spending bill unless it included certain provisions. The group’s statement said that their official position was to oppose any bill unless it included language on border security, new laws to address what they call the “weaponization” of the Justice Department and FBI, and a shift in some of the Pentagon’s policies.

The list of demands includes adding to the stopgap a border security bill that passed the House in May, addressing the “unprecedented weaponization” of the Department of Justice, and ending “cancerous woke policies” at the Department of Defense. The statement also said that the group would not support any bill that did not include these provisions.

The announcement from the Freedom Caucus has increased the chances of a government shutdown, as the provisions they are demanding are likely to be opposed by Senate Democrats and the White House. The current stopgap spending bill is set to expire on September 30th, and Congress must pass a new bill in order to keep the government funded.

The Freedom Caucus has been a powerful force in the House since its formation in 2015, and its members have often pushed the GOP leadership to the right. The group has been vocal in its opposition to the current stopgap bill, and their latest statement makes it clear that they will not support any bill that does not include their demands. It remains to be seen whether Congress will be able to pass a bill that satisfies the Freedom Caucus and avoids a government shutdown.