McCarthy secures major win, but shutdown threat remains.
House Speaker McCarthy Scores Victory with Passage of Rule for Appropriations Bills
After facing two failed rule votes, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) achieved a significant win on Tuesday as the House passed a rule allowing four appropriations bills to advance to debate. However, the threat of a government shutdown still looms.
The House can now proceed with the defense, homeland, state and foreign operations, and agriculture appropriations bills. Yet, passing these bills will be a challenging task due to objections raised by multiple Republican members regarding various provisions.
Struggles to Pass Bills and Avoid Government Shutdown
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) expressed frustration, stating, “I want to do my job, and I think we should have been doing it two months ago.” She highlighted concerns about the defense bill being “dead on arrival” and the state foreign ops bill having a “blank check” for Ukraine.
Even if the House manages to pass the bills, the Senate is unlikely to take them up due to provisions and spending cuts. In response, McCarthy stated that the House will likely consider a conservative continuing resolution on Friday, just two days before the potential government shutdown.
The Republicans’ proposed continuing resolution would fund the government at a $1.471 trillion level for a period of 14 to 60 days.
Resistance Within the Republican Conference
However, passing a stopgap funding measure, even one with Republican priorities like border security provisions, will be challenging due to significant resistance within the Republican Conference.
Several Republican representatives, including Eli Crane (R-AZ), Andy Ogles (R-TN), and Cory Mills (R-FL), have expressed their opposition to a continuing resolution. Representatives Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Tim Burchett (R-TN) have also voiced their objections.
These holdouts alone have the potential to derail any Republican-led continuing resolution if it does not receive Democratic support.
McCarthy’s Message and the Holdouts
McCarthy has been attempting to sway the holdouts by framing a vote against the continuing resolution as a vote against securing the border. He has accused them of siding with President Joe Biden and the Democrats.
However, the holdouts remain steadfast, and McCarthy will need their support to pass any conservative continuing resolution.
Representative Dan Bishop (R-NC) emphasized the need for a different approach, stating, “They do a CR every year; we’re trying to do something different than every year.”
Representative Byron Donalds (R-FL), a member of the Freedom Caucus, acknowledged that House Republicans lack the votes to pass a stopgap measure.
Furthermore, even if House Republicans manage to pass their own continuing resolution, it will not prevent a government shutdown as it has no chance of passing the Democrat-controlled Senate or being signed into law by President Biden.
Unresolved Issues and Senate Struggles
Any final continuing resolution will need to be bipartisan and negotiated between both the House and the Senate. However, reaching such an agreement before the government runs out of money on Sunday seems unlikely.
While the House grapples with finding an agreement on a continuing resolution and passing appropriations bills, the Senate also faces its own challenges. Senators have yet to pass a single appropriation bill off the floor.
The Senate has released its version of a bipartisan continuing resolution and has taken the first procedural step to consider it. However, it is expected to face opposition in the House.
The Senate’s measure would extend government funding until November 17 and include over $6 billion in Ukraine aid. This inclusion is opposed by several House Republicans, including McCarthy, who question its priority over border security and the needs of American families.
With the House and Senate at odds over continuing resolutions, it is highly unlikely that the issue will be resolved before Sunday, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown.
One senior GOP lawmaker, speaking anonymously, stated, “I think a shutdown is highly likely.”
What role does House Speaker Kevin McCarthy play in rallying support within his party and finding common ground with Democrats to prevent a shutdown and ensure essential government services continue
In unswayed, arguing that a temporary funding measure is not sufficient to address the border security concerns and that a comprehensive approach is needed.
Representative Tim Burchett stated, “I’m not going to be bullied into voting for something that doesn’t fix the border.” He emphasized the need for long-term border security solutions and criticized the temporary nature of the proposed continuing resolution.
Matt Gaetz echoed these sentiments, asserting that the continuing resolution does not adequately address the border crisis or hold the Biden administration accountable. He emphasized the need for stronger immigration policies and border enforcement measures.
Despite McCarthy’s efforts, it remains uncertain whether he will be able to convince the holdouts to support the proposed continuing resolution. Their resistance could potentially lead to a government shutdown if a budget agreement is not reached by the deadline.
The Way Forward
The passage of the rule allowing the four appropriations bills to advance is undoubtedly a significant victory for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy. It demonstrates his ability to navigate the challenges within his own party and push forward with Republican priorities.
However, the path to passing these bills and avoiding a government shutdown is still fraught with obstacles. The disagreements and resistance within the Republican Conference pose a significant challenge to passing a continuing resolution that satisfies all members.
As Congress faces the looming deadline, negotiations and compromises will be necessary to reach a consensus. The role of House Speaker McCarthy will be crucial in rallying support within his party and finding common ground with Democrats to prevent a shutdown and ensure essential government services continue.
Ultimately, the fate of the appropriations bills and the potential for a government shutdown will rely on the ability of congressional leaders to bridge the divide and find a bipartisan solution. The coming days will be crucial in determining the outcome, and all eyes will be on McCarthy and his ability to rally support within his party and across the aisle.
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