Speaker John Boehner John Andrew BoehnerLongtime House parliamentarian to step down Five things we learned from this year's primaries Bad blood between Pelosi, Meadows complicates coronavirus talks MORE (R-Ohio) on Tuesday said he has "a few knuckleheads" in his conference."

As a result, Boehner John Andrew BoehnerLongtime House parliamentarian to step down Five things we learned from this year's primaries Bad blood between Pelosi, Meadows complicates coronavirus talks MORE described his House majority as being a "paper majority."

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“On any given day, 16 of my members decide they’re going to go this way, and all the sudden I have nothing,” he said. “You might notice I have a few knuckleheads in my conference.”

Boehner made the remarks to the International Franchise Association, warning of a politicized National Labor Relations Board, and said House Republicans were trying to counter overreaching agencies with oversight. But he added that he needs a bigger majority.

A group of the most conservative Republicans has frequently plagued the Speaker and upended plans for votes, most recently in July when GOP leaders were forced to pull a vote on their bill responding to thousands of unaccompanied children crossing the southern border.

In April, Boehner mocked some members of his conference for being reluctant to vote on immigration reform. "Here's the attitude: 'Ohhhh. Don't make me do this. Ohhhh. This is too hard,' " he said.

Boehner added in his comments on Tuesday that "dealing with Democrats is one thing, dealing with the knuckleheads is another."