House GOP leadership faces challenges in quelling conservative opposition as shutdown approaches.
House Leadership Struggles to Pass Funding Bills as Shutdown Looms
With the House in chaos and time running out, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and his allies are desperately trying to win over opponents of a stopgap funding measure. However, their efforts have been largely unsuccessful.
The House Republican Conference is deeply divided, with strong opposition to a continuing resolution. At least nine members have stated that they will not vote for it, increasing the likelihood of a government shutdown.
“That’s not right.”
“I don’t understand the few people here who want to hold it out. Why do the border agents have to hurt? Why do the Coast Guard have to hurt? Why do they have to not be paid because somebody wants to throw some fit here,” McCarthy said.
House leadership has faced numerous challenges this year, with some members causing problems due to their “perverted intentions,” according to Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), a top lieutenant of McCarthy.
Despite including conservative policies in the continuing resolution, such as border security measures and a spending level of $1.471 trillion, opposition within the party remains.
Time is running out for Congress to take action, as the government is set to run out of money on Oct. 1. While conservative Republicans continue to prioritize their own agenda, they must also find a way to work with the Democratic Senate to pass a bill that can be signed into law.
“That was always going to be the case.”
“We were always going to have a fight about federal government funding,” said Rep. Patrick McHenry (R-NC). “Before the speaker vote, I could have told you this was the breakpoint.”
Some members, like Rep. Bob Good (R-VA), believe that a government shutdown is preferable to a continuing resolution that doesn’t align with conservative priorities. However, others, like Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN), oppose continuing resolutions altogether and advocate for passing all 12 appropriations bills.
While this belief is shared by many, it is simply not feasible to pass all 12 spending bills before the Oct. 1 deadline. Therefore, the options are limited to either a shutdown or a continuing resolution.
“Absolutely hallucinating”
“Anyone who says that we’re going to finish all 12 appropriations bills between now and next Saturday is absolutely hallucinating,” Graves told reporters.
In an attempt to win over holdouts, House leadership has included four appropriations bills in a rules package to be voted on. Two of these bills significantly cut spending, offering hope that they may sway some opponents.
However, this could have been done earlier if not for hard-line conservatives blocking or threatening to block spending bills in the past. For instance, some holdouts prevented the House from voting on the defense appropriations bill multiple times and threatened to block the agriculture appropriation bill in July.
“The arsonists are out there”
“We’re in a situation right now where the arsonists are out there, number one whining that their house is on fire; number two are going to want credit that they put the fire out; and then number three are going to set up a GoFundMe site to get paid for it,” Graves said about those blocking bills.
If a shutdown occurs or a clean continuing resolution is not passed, McCarthy and Graves are clear that it will be due to a few members choosing the “liberal option” by blocking spending bills and opposing a conservative continuing resolution.
“Absolutely manipulated or distorted”
“I think that if we get into a shutdown, it’s because there was a failure in strategy that was absolutely manipulated or distorted by disingenuous behavior, intentions, and probably ignorance,” Graves said of the holdouts.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
How has the reliance on continuing resolutions affected Congress’ ability to negotiate the budget before the deadline?
Individually before the deadline. Congress has historically relied on continuing resolutions as a temporary measure to fund the government while negotiations continue on the budget.
The dysfunction within the House Republican Conference has only worsened the situation. With factions within the party pushing their own agendas and refusing to compromise, it has become increasingly difficult for House leadership to rally support for funding bills.
The upcoming government shutdown could have severe consequences for the American people. Essential services will be disrupted, federal employees will go unpaid, and crucial programs will be put on hold. The economic impact could be significant, causing uncertainty in financial markets and hindering economic growth.
House leadership must navigate these internal divisions and find a way to pass a funding bill that can gain the support of both Republicans and Democrats. It is crucial for Speaker McCarthy to unite his party and build bipartisan consensus in order to avert a government shutdown.
The stakes are high, and the American people are looking to their elected representatives to find a solution. While it is understandable that there are differing viewpoints within the Republican Party, it is essential that lawmakers come together and prioritize the needs of the American people over partisan interests.
Time is running out, and the consequences of a government shutdown are too grave to ignore. It is imperative that House leadership acts swiftly and efficiently to pass a funding bill that can garner the support necessary to keep the government functioning.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...