House conservatives, fearing that Republican leaders may try to avoid an election-year confrontation with the Obama administration, are insisting that House Speaker John Boehner press ahead with contempt of Congress charges against Attorney General Eric Holder over the Fast and Furious gun-running operation.

Five House Republican freshmen wrote to Boehner, R-Ohio, demanding that he schedule a vote on the contempt charges, something Boehner has so far resisted.