Republicans push short-term plan to dodge a looming shutdown
Potential stopgap is criticized by both parties
WASHINGTON – With the House no closer to avoiding a potential government shutdown in less than two weeks, two key factions of House Republicans have crafted a short-term, stopgap measure called a continuing resolution that would temporarily fund the government through Oct. 31.
The bill, sponsored by members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus and the more moderate Main Street Caucus, would impose an 8% spending cut on federal agencies.
But that doesn't include national defense budget, the Department of Veterans Affairs and amounts designated for disaster relief.
The temporary measure also would include border security provisions that have been on conservative wish lists during the ongoing spending fight.
But whether the continuing resolution can pass in the House and the Senate remains to be seen.
The bill also doesn’t include provisions on Ukraine aid or extra funds for disaster relief, which President Joe Biden requested Congress approve.
Representatives from both parties have blasted the potential compromise.
“It’s crystal clear a Gov’t shutdown is coming. I represent 66% of the TexasMexico border – a hollow Continuing Resolution built to win a messaging battle does nothing to keep America safe,” Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., wrote on X, “No CR. Pass the damn approps bills. Roll back the crazy bureaucracy to preCOVID levels. Now.”
But on the other side of the aisle, Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., also called the continuing resolution “extreme” in a statement.
“Less than two weeks away from a government shutdown, House Republicans are still more focused on introducing extreme funding bills that would cut funding to the National Institutes of Health including funding for cancer research, defund the police, and decrease resources to important allies like Ukraine and Israel than working on bipartisan solution that could be enacted,” DeLauro said.
The gridlock in the House over the appropriations fight comes at the same time House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who announced an impeachment inquiry into Biden last week, faces threats to be removed from his post as speaker.
In an interview with Fox News on Sunday, McCarthy said a shutdown "would only give strength to Democrats."
"It would give the power to Biden. It wouldn’t pay our troops," McCarthy said.
"It wouldn’t pay our border agents. More people would be coming across. I actually want to achieve something.”