Mike Johnson to Address Senate GOP Lunch Amid Republican Divisions Over Border, FISA, and SAVE Act

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) will seek to reduce escalating tensions with Senate Republicans during their weekly lunch on Tuesday, according to sources familiar with the matter. Johnson is expected to emphasize unity and open communication as Republicans prepare for upcoming reconciliation packages.

Why it matters: House and Senate Republicans, despite controlling both chambers of Congress and the White House, have spent months locked in disputes over key priorities, including border security funding, surveillance legislation, and election integrity measures.

Key Disputes Fueling Republican Divisions

The conflicts span multiple high-stakes issues:

• ICE and Border Patrol funding: House conservatives have accused Senate Republicans of delaying critical border security funding through a two-track strategy that prioritized short-term Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding while postponing additional ICE and Border Patrol allocations.
• The SAVE Act: Senate Republicans have refused to eliminate the filibuster to advance the House-passed election integrity bill, drawing sharp criticism from House GOP members.
• FISA reauthorization: Congress has approved two short-term extensions of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) without resolving major disputes. The House passed a three-year extension paired with a ban on a Federal Reserve-backed digital currency, which Senate Republicans oppose. Conservatives continue to push for warrant requirements and insist the crypto provision remain attached.

First Senate GOP Lunch Appearance of 2025

Johnson’s remarks will mark his first appearance at a Senate Republican lunch this year. The visit comes as House conservatives increasingly view the Senate as the primary obstacle to advancing their legislative agenda, while Senate Republicans criticize what they describe as unrealistic demands from House members.

"I hate the Senate," Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) told Axios late last month amid FISA disagreements. "There are like two and a half good senators."

Recent Flashpoints Deepen Mistrust

Tensions have been exacerbated by recent legislative maneuvers:

• The House passed the Senate’s DHS funding legislation just before recess, a bill Johnson had previously dismissed as a "joke."
• House conservatives revolted over the Senate’s two-track strategy, which funded DHS while delaying additional ICE and Border Patrol funding to reconciliation.
• Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) openly clashed last month after Johnson called for changes to the strategy.

Upcoming Challenges: Reconciliation and Deadlines

Republicans now face a critical push to pass a second reconciliation package with border funding by June 1, a self-imposed deadline set by former President Donald Trump. Last week, Senate Republicans proposed including $1 billion in security funding for Trump’s ballroom, but the measure has already faced resistance from some moderates.

Senate Republicans are also struggling to find a clear path forward on a long-term Section 702 FISA extension. The lack of progress has led to repeated short-term extensions, with disputes unresolved over warrant requirements and digital currency provisions.

Meanwhile, House Republicans continue to criticize Senate Republicans for blocking the SAVE Act, the GOP’s signature election integrity legislation, by refusing to eliminate the filibuster.