‘Not Your Grandfather’s Continuing Resolution’: How Republicans Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the ‘CR’

A number of Republicans swore they’d never vote for a continuing resolution. But on Tuesday, they made an exception for the GOP’s government funding bill.

Mike Johnson speaking on the second day of the 2024 RNC.

Speaker Mike Johnson speaking during the second day of the Republican National Convention. J. Scott Applewhite/AP

GOP leaders on Capitol Hill have long assumed that at least a couple dozen House Republicans — from about 2011 until the end of time — would always vote against anything resembling a “continuing resolution.”

Conservative sticklers have built a political brand around decrying CRs as a dereliction of Congress’ appropriating duties. Eight Republicans — including four current members — tossed out former Speaker Kevin McCarthy over the egregious sin of putting a six-week funding extension on the House floor. And these Republicans demanded commitments from his replacement, Mike Johnson, that he would change Washington’s can-kicking ways and return Congress to “regular order.”

But on Tuesday, it wasn’t Johnson who changed; it was the conservative sticklers.