In a critical test of his leadership, newly-elected Speaker Mike Johnson is facing opposition from Republican hard-liners as he seeks to avert a looming government shutdown. With a slim GOP majority, Johnson cannot afford to lose many Republican votes and will now have to rely on Democratic support to pass his funding measure.

Johnson's plan, described as a "laddered CR" or continuing resolution, aims to keep the government funded at 2022 levels. However, six prominent Republican representatives, Bob Good of Virginia, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Chip Roy of Texas, George Santos of New York, and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, have publicly announced their opposition to the plan.

With the potential loss of these Republican votes, Johnson finds himself seeking support across the aisle. Democratic leaders have not yet indicated how they will instruct their members to vote, adding uncertainty to the outcome.

The laddered CR proposed by Johnson has two different deadlines to ensure the functioning of different parts of the government: January 19 and February 2. In order to avoid a shutdown, the House must pass the plan, followed by the Senate's action by Friday night.

In a statement, Johnson emphasized that his plan aims to challenge the tradition of massive spending bills introduced right before the Christmas recess. He believes that separating the CR from supplemental funding debates will allow his conference to fight for fiscal responsibility, oversight over Ukraine aid, and meaningful policy changes at the Southern border.

However, the opposition from Republican hard-liners like Good and Davidson raises concerns about the plan's lack of spending reductions, border security, and policy wins for the American people. While expressing disappointment, Davidson expressed hope for a more reasonable bill through consensus.

On the Democratic side, several representatives, including Henry Cuellar of Texas and Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, have indicated that they will vote against Johnson's plan. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has yet to provide instructions on how the Democratic conference should vote, but has stressed the importance of averting a government shutdown.

Overall, Speaker Johnson's efforts to pass a clean CR and balance the interests of moderates and hard-liners within his conference mirror the challenges faced by his predecessor, former Speaker Kevin McCarthy. While Republicans have expressed a willingness to give Johnson some leeway, the outcome remains uncertain as the House prepares for the crucial vote on Tuesday.