Members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus sent a letter to Speaker Kevin Mccarthy (R-calif.) outlining several questions they say must be addressed “before even considering” supporting a stopgap spending measure to avert a government shutdown this weekend.

In the letter sent Thursday afternoon, 27 caucus members laid out six questions regarding the speaker’s plan to move forward on appropriations bills before they agree to any measure that would temporarily fund the government while they finalize the annual budget. The missive does not give Mccarthy a deadline for how quickly he must address the questions, only that they must be answered “urgently.”

“No Member of Congress can or should be expected to consider supporting a stop-gap funding measure without answers to these reasonable questions,” the lawmakers wrote. “We remain ready to continue working in good faith with our colleagues across the Republican Conference to advance appropriation; likewise, we expect you to take every step necessary to pass these bills — starting with the four bills now under consideration to fund approximately twothirds of the federal government.”

The House is scheduled to vote on four appropriations bills late Thursday night that cover the Defense, Homeland Security, State and Foreign Operations, and Agriculture departments. If they all pass, that will mean the House has passed five of its 12 appropriations bills so far.

The letter presses Mccarthy to provide a time frame for the remaining five spending bills and whether he will keep the House in session until they are all passed individually.

The lawmakers are also demanding Mccarthy publicly reject the bipartisan continuing resolution proposal being advanced by the Senate as well as provide information on how the speaker plans to reduce spending levels to reach the $1.526 trillion topline number that was negotiated by the GOP conference last week.

The letter is signed by 27 members, including Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA.), Policy Chairman Chip Roy (R-texas), Communications Chairwoman Lauren Boebert (R-colo.), and Whip Warren Davidson (Ohio).

Notably missing from the letter are caucus members Andy Biggs (R-ariz.), Matt Rosendale (R-mont.), and Ken Buck (R-colo.), who have signaled they would oppose a stopgap measure. Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-fla.) has also indicated he would not for a continuing resolution in any form, although the Florida Republican is not a member of the House Freedom Caucus.

However, that could indicate that even if Mccarthy does provide answers, there could be enough GOP “no” votes to sink any stopgap measure.

Congress has until midnight on Sunday to pass any form of spending legislation or else the government will run out of money and shut down until a deal is made. Neither the House nor the Senate has managed to advance their appropriations bills or a stopgap measure to fund the government temporarily, making a partial shutdown increasingly likely.

Mccarthy expressed plans to bring some sort of continuing resolution or temporary spending measure to the floor by Friday that would set a top line at $1.471 trillion and include the House’s border security bill as well as a fiscal commission to look at how to reduce the government’s debt. However, that proposal has been met with staunch opposition from hard-line conservatives, making it unlikely it can pass the lower chamber without Democratic support.

Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing to vote on a stopgap spending measure negotiated between Republicans and Democrats over the weekend that would include disaster funding and Ukrainian aid, a proposal that some Republicans say is “dead on arrival” in the House.

“We remain ready to continue working in good faith with our colleagues across the Republican Conference to advance appropriation; likewise, we expect you to take every step necessary to pass these bills — starting with the four bills now under consideration to fund approximately two-thirds of the federal government.”

House Freedom Caucus letter to Speaker Kevin Mccarthy