House Speaker Mike Johnson, a relatively unknown congressman from Louisiana who rose to lead House Republicans amid a revolt by hardliners, faces a challenging task of averting a U.S. government shutdown.

Despite his limited time and experience in major Washington negotiations, Johnson had intended to unveil his proposal for temporary government funding on Thursday.

However, internal strife among Republicans threatens to impede any progress on a spending plan.

With just a week before the shutdown deadline, the novice in major negotiations must make his initial move and decide the extent of his demands to secure support from ultra-conservatives who ousted his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy.

Lawmakers indicate that the House is scheduled to vote on the plan on Tuesday, Bloomberg reported.

If Johnson’s proposal includes immediate cuts, it risks triggering a standoff with the Democratic Senate, which is likely to resist such measures.

President Joe Biden expressed frustration with Johnson’s slow pace as he departed on Air Force One for a trip to Rockford, Illinois, late Thursday morning.

Written by B.C. Begley