Poison pills
Lawmakers on both sides agree they need to ditch contentious policy provisions, known as “poison pill” riders.

That’s especially important this time around, as timing comes down to the wire with no clear off ramp. House Republicans loaded up their versions of spending bills with provisions that would severely restrict abortion access, ban funding for drag shows and Pride flags, defund diversity and inclusion efforts across the federal government and much more — all of which Senate Democrats and the White House are sure to reject.

But getting rid of those provisions will prove tough for Johnson, who is continually walking a fine line between hard-liners hellbent on including such policies and vulnerable moderates who don’t want to have to defend them back home.

“Some will survive, some will not. I think the ones that cause a problem will probably not be there,” Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), a senior appropriator, said of policy riders. “If both sides don’t agree, you’re not going to put it out there.”