In a bid to prevent a looming government shutdown, U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has urged fellow Republicans to stop resisting the proposed spending plans for the next fiscal year.
What Happened: McCarthy addressed his party members in private on Thursday, opposing threats to his leadership over spending disagreements. In a closed-door meeting, he stated that a government shutdown results in no winners, according to Reuters.
McCarthy, in response to demands for a $120 billion cut in fiscal year spending that he and President Joe Biden agreed on in May, called on those opposing to stop hindering legislative progress.
Facing opposition from his party’s conservative flank, McCarthy declared that the House would stay in session until an agreement is reached to keep federal agencies running beyond Sept. 30. “When we come back, we’re not going to leave. We’re going to get this done. Nobody wins in a government shutdown. Nobody wins in a government shutdown. I’ve been here,” McCarthy told the media.
The House speaker expressed his intention to pass a short-term stopgap measure to extend government operations for 30-60 days.
While the internal Republican conflict slows down House activities, the Senate pushed its first package of spending bills with a 91-7 vote on Thursday.
Some staunch Republicans believe a shutdown might be necessary to achieve their reduced spending target, $120 billion less than what McCarthy and Biden agreed upon. Others, such as Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE), consider a shutdown “shortsighted.”
“What Kevin just said right now … to that point: ‘If somebody wants to file a motion to vacate, file the [f***ing] motion to vacate,’ and that’s it. And stop holding up everybody’s work,” Brian Mast told the media.
Why It Matters: Earlier this month, GOP senators had urged McCarthy to take decisive action to prevent a government shutdown. They insisted that the responsibility for the initial move rested with McCarthy.
Last month, McCarthy had proposed a short-term funding solution to prevent a government shutdown. He had clarified that any continuing resolution would not extend beyond early December.
If the Republican-controlled House, Democratic Senate and President Joe Biden fail to pass a funding bill by Oct. 1, the federal government will face its fourth shutdown in a decade.
Photo by Consolidated News Photos on Shutterstock.
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