Barely 12 days separate the federal government from a total shutdown, and President Kevin McCarthy is growing impatient with Republicans’ stubbornness in passing laws.
McCarthy promised leadership would work through the weekend as negotiators appeared to admit defeat on Republicans’ recently released short-term continuing resolution.
“We’re going to come up with new ideas and we’re going to work until we get it right. We are not leaving this weekend. We’re going to get through this,” McCarthy told reporters.
A dozen Republicans pledged they would vote “no” on the deal reached by the right-wing House Freedom Caucus and the Main Street Caucus, a group of pragmatic conservatives, to extend government funding for another month, would give Congress more time to discuss. pass spending legislation and fund the government for fiscal year 2024.
McCarthy promised leadership would work through the weekend as negotiators appeared to admit defeat on Republicans’ recently released short-term continuing resolution.
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, a member of the Freedom Caucus who wrote the deal with Main Street Chairman Dusty Johnson to avoid a shutdown, said a government shutdown wouldn’t be that bad.
Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, a member of the Freedom Caucus who wrote the deal with Main Street Chairman Dusty Johnson to avoid a shutdown, said a government shutdown wouldn’t be that bad.
“People can live without our government for a while. I don’t see why not. The sun rises every day people live their lives. Life goes on.’
Meanwhile, Indiana Republican Rep. Victoria Spartaz lashed out at the “weak” McCarthy in a statement announcing her opposition to the bill.
“It’s a shame our weak speaker can’t even commit to creating a commission to discuss our impending fiscal disaster,” she said.
“Real leadership requires courage and the will to fight for the country, not for power and a picture on the wall,” continued the MP of Ukrainian origin. “The Republican House is once again failing the American people and pursuing a path of gambling and circus.”
The speaker then mocked Spartz for his retirement.
“Anyone who criticizes you has never worked harder than you. And I mean, if Victoria wants to fight harder, I wish she would run again and not resign,” he told reporters.
“I wish (McCarthy) would work as hard to govern our country as he does to collect checks,” Spartak replied to X.
The deal would maintain funding for Defense and the Department of Homeland Security at current levels and cut all other appropriations by eight percent across the board.
The bill does not include disaster relief funding or funding for Ukraine.
Even if House Republicans manage to pass it, it will not be passed by the Democratic-controlled Senate or signed by the White House.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the bill an “insult” to Ukraine and said he “couldn’t imagine a worse reception” for President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is scheduled to visit at the Capitol this week, as the House proposal.
Some Republicans who now oppose the HFC-Main Street deal insist they don’t want a continuing resolution at all and that the House must pass all 12 appropriations bills.
Some say they won’t vote for a CR unless he “defunds” the Justice Department, including special counsel Jack Smith and his investigations of Trump.
Meanwhile, two members of the Freedom Caucus and Trump-supporting Florida Republicans, Reps. Matt Gaetz and Byron Donalds, clashed over the Donalds-authored short-term CR on X.
Gaetz said Donald’s bill “does the job for Jack Smith.”
Donalds replied: “Matt, tell people the truth. The DOJ will operate whether the government is shut down or not. Special advocates have always exempted themselves from closures. What is your plan to get the votes to fund Jack Smith? You’ll need more than tweets and hot takes!!’
“A continuing resolution like the one you filed continues America’s decline,” Gaetz said. “Let’s abandon this disaster and let’s reinstate one of our best players (you!).”
Last week, Gaetz said it would be a “shot, hunter” that he would immediately make a motion to leave the House to oust McCarthy if he presented any sort of CR.
Spartz and Gaetz launched attacks against McCarthy on Monday
Gaetz also waded into the McCarthy-Spartz back-and-forth.
“This quote is shameful,” he wrote on X. “Rep. Spartz is retiring after honorable service because her family needs her and she appreciates life’s most important institution American. Kevin attacking a woman for putting her family above ambition and power is truly a new low. Kevin would never understand subjugating ambition for anything or anyone either.
Rep. Dave Joyce, R-Ohio, head of the GOP Governance Group, called Gaetz “a special person.”
“How many years has he been here, what has he accomplished besides speaking?” »
Leaders involved in the deal said they continued to present the bill to members and try to dispel the notion that it would include Ukrainian funds.
Even Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a leader of the bill who is not afraid to oppose GOP leadership in the House, expressed frustration with those who “like to punch each other chest and say “it’s not pure enough”.
