Mike Johnson's shutdown plan gets a hall pass from furious Freedom Caucus

Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus took an official position against the two-tiered stopgap funding bill aimed at averting a government shutdown just hours before it is set to come to the floor for a vote on Tuesday.

Why it matters: New Speaker Mike Johnson met with the group of conservative hardliners on Monday evening in hopes of selling the bill to skeptics. The group isn't pleased with the legislation, but doesn't plan to try to oust Johnson over the move.

HFC members are furious that the legislation keeps 2023 funding levels intact.

Johnson has repeatedly argued that the "laddered continuing resolution" — with some funding lasting until January and the rest until Feb. 2 — would prevent the House from being rolled by a sweeping omnibus spending bill from the Senate.

Eight conservatives joined with Democrats in October to oust former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), citing his decision to bring up a resolution that extended current spending levels.