McCarthy’s Defense Funding Bill Sunk by 5 GOP ‘No’ Votes.
McCarthy’s Defense Funding Bill Torpedoed by 5 Republicans Who Voted ‘No’
A proposed bill to fund defense spending in the next fiscal year, backed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, suffered a defeat on Tuesday. This setback is a result of the collision between efforts to pass a budget and avoid a government shutdown, and the strong opposition from conservative Republicans to spending increases.
Republican Rep. Ralph Norman of South Carolina, a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, was one of five conservatives who opposed a procedural motion to bring the defense bill to the House floor. Norman believes that a government shutdown is likely with only 11 days left until the end of the fiscal year.
The vote put the five conservatives in an unusual position of aligning with House Democrats, as all 209 House Democrats present voted against the passage of the procedural motion.
Norman expressed his frustration, stating, “You think it’s fun for me to vote against the rule? But I’m also unwilling to continue as we’ve done and have unlimited spending.”
House votes 212-214 to reject the rule for the Defense spending bill.
This means the House cannot debate or vote on passage of the Defense appropriations bill.
Rs voting no:
Biggs
Bishop
Buck
Norman
Rosendale pic.twitter.com/d540iyk4QR— Jennifer Shutt (@JenniferShutt) September 19, 2023
Norman and other conservative Republicans are demanding more transparency and concrete details about spending before they support budget bills proposed by McCarthy.
Republican Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona also cited the lack of overall numbers as a reason for voting against bringing the bill to the floor. As a result, the procedural vote failed 214-212.
Meanwhile, a continuing resolution proposed by McCarthy to fund the government after September 30 was pulled without a vote.
Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania emphasized that whatever the House passes is just a starting point, as the final budget requires approval from the Democrat-majority Senate and President Joe Biden.
Despite the challenges, Norman believes that postponing the fight will not resolve anything. He stated, ”I don’t know what 30 days is going to give us. Will it take a couple weeks of shutdown? Probably so. That’s a fight we need to be willing to have right now. The odds of not having a shutdown are slim to none.”
The goal for the Republicans opposing the budget bills is to reduce non-defense discretionary spending to pre-pandemic levels.
Republican Rep. Bob Good of Virginia criticized Speaker McCarthy for not showing determination in leading the conference to achieve this goal.
Source: The Western Journal
What does the defeat of the bill reveal about the ongoing tension within the Republican Party over fiscal matters and defense spending
Tes 260-163, with 53 Republicans voting with Dems, on rule related defense spending bill, but 5 Republicans joining in voting against. Some were upset because hadn’t yet been allowed to offer amendments. Others just generally opposed large defense spending increases.
— Juliegrace Brufke (@juliegraceb) September 22, 2021
The proposed defense funding bill, which featured a $24 billion increase in defense spending, faced strong opposition from fiscal conservatives within the Republican Party. These conservatives argue that the bill would contribute to the growing national debt and increase the size of government.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy had strongly advocated for the bill, arguing that it was necessary to adequately fund the nation’s defense and protect American interests abroad. However, the bill’s failure to gain sufficient support from within his own party highlights the divisions within the Republican Party over fiscal matters and priorities.
The collision between efforts to pass a budget and avoid a government shutdown further complicated the passage of the defense funding bill. With only 11 days left until the end of the fiscal year, the possibility of a government shutdown looms large. Conservative lawmakers like Rep. Ralph Norman expressed concerns over this potential outcome and voted against the procedural motion, aligning with House Democrats on this issue.
The defeat of the defense funding bill highlights the ongoing tension within the Republican Party between fiscal conservatives and those who prioritize defense spending. While some Republicans were upset due to the lack of opportunity to offer amendments, others voiced their general opposition to large defense spending increases.
In a statement, Rep. Norman indicated that his vote against the bill was driven by his unwillingness to continue with unlimited spending. This aligns with the concerns of other conservatives within the party who believe that fiscal responsibility should be prioritized over increased defense spending.
The failure of McCarthy’s defense funding bill serves as a setback for House Republicans and highlights the challenges they face in finding consensus within their party. With the ever-present threat of a government shutdown and the contentious debate over defense spending, it remains to be seen how Republicans will navigate these issues moving forward.
In conclusion, the defeat of McCarthy’s defense funding bill by five Republican lawmakers reflects the divide within the party over fiscal matters and priorities. While the bill aimed to increase defense spending, fiscal conservatives within the party opposed it due to concerns over the national debt and the size of government. The collision between efforts to pass a budget and avoid a government shutdown further complicated the bill’s passage. The failure of the bill serves as a setback for House Republicans and underscores the challenges they face in finding consensus within their party on these critical issues.
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