The House Freedom Caucus is calling for the House to stay in session through next week rather than gavel out from Jan. 17-28, as it is scheduled to do.
The conservative caucus says the House should reach a “compromise” amid the partial government shutdown, which was spurred by a standoff between President Trump and Democratic leadership over the president’s request for $5.7 billion in border wall funding.
{mosads}”Official position: HFC calls for House to stay in session through the weekend and next week, instead of gaveling out and taking a break,” the House Freedom Caucus said in a statement posted to Twitter. “We must keep working to solve the border crisis and reach a compromise.”
The partial government shutdown became the longest in U.S. history over the weekend as it extended into a fourth week.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus in December backed Trump’s decision to veto the continuing resolution needed to avert the government shutdown because it did not provide the requested $5 billion in border wall funding.
Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.), another conservative House member, on Monday night tweeted his support to keep the House open from Jan. 17-28.
“This is nuts!” Zeldin tweeted. “The House will be out of session from the 17th to 28th. I say let’s keep ALL Members of Congress in DC to negotiate w each other and @realDonaldTrump until there is deal. Lock us all in a room here…no phones…no pay…and this will end very quickly.”
“Proud to stand with @freedomcaucus to call for House to stay in session,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) tweeted, responding to the House Freedom Caucus’s call. “No reason to leave while border remains insecure and federal employees being asked to work without pay (last week’s ‘pay’ bill did not change that).”
Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) was one of the conservatives who raised concerns when Trump was considering signing legislation that didn’t provide the border wall funding.
“It is after the mid-terms and we are here with a number of my colleagues to say we are ready to fight on behalf of all the freedom-loving Americans to make sure we have secure borders and that never again do we have to worry about terrorists and drug traffickers coming across our southern borders,” Meadows said in December.