Johnson hits fellow Republicans: 'Some members in our conference' may provoke shutdown

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) is privately expressing his frustrations with uniting his caucus as a possible government shutdown looms next week.

Politico reported recently that Johnson warned his fellow Republicans that a partial shutdown of some federal agencies may be forthcoming if certain intransigent members of the House Republican Conference don't acquiesce to not getting their way in current negotiations.

"Some members in our conference said it was as OK to take down a rule," Johnson said, referring to some Republicans who are now routinely blocking an initial procedural hurdle that comes before an up-or-down vote on the House floor.

READ MORE: 'Fight' or 'deal': House Republicans now 'expecting a government shutdown'

Under the most recent funding agreement, there are now two deadlines for Congress to appropriate more funding to keep federal agencies open. The Departments of Agriculture, Energy, Transportation and Veterans Affairs have until March 1 to get another allocation of funds, while all other federal agencies are funded through March 8.

Johnson and other top Republican budget negotiators are working through the weekend on a plan that will garner enough votes to pass the chamber, with a deal being announced as soon as Sunday night. The speaker lamented on the Friday night call with other Republicans that the infighting among members of his own caucus has caused Democrats to have more leverage in the ongoing negotiations.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) of the far-right House Freedom Caucus has urged Johnson to support a one-year stopgap funding solution that would keep agencies funded through the next year. However, pursuing that option would result in an across-the-board 1% spending cut that would take effect at the end of April — something Democrats have indicated they will not support.

Any funding bill that passes the House will still need to make it through the Democratic-controlled US Senate before it hits President Joe Biden's desk. Johnson is reportedly aiming for a deal that will get roughly 290 votes on the House floor, which would achieve the two-thirds majority necessary to bypass a floor debate.

READ MORE: GOP hardliners could shut down government in 9 days if Mike Johnson doesn't grant demands