Staff Reports
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has made a bold move, deciding to push forward with a “clean” stopgap spending bill. This bill will not include any border policies or spending cuts, much to the disappointment of the conservative members of his GOP conference. McCarthy admits that he attempted to rally his fellow Republicans around a hyper-conservative version of the bill but failed to gain their support. Now, he is relying on Democratic votes to pass the bill, which could potentially lead to a rebellion by his own party members who are threatening to remove him as speaker.
McCarthy turns to a 'clean' stopgap bill to avoid a shutdown, puts the ball in the Democrats' court – https://t.co/jlr1tNrEwY
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) September 30, 2023
In a defiant statement, McCarthy said, “If somebody wants to remove [me] because I want to be the adult in the room. Go ahead and try.” Clearly, he is not backing down from his decision, even if it means facing the wrath of his own party.
With the clock ticking before the midnight shutdown deadline, the new bill will provide funding for an additional 45 days. It also includes President Biden’s request for $16 billion in emergency disaster funding. To expedite the process, McCarthy plans to put the stopgap bill on the floor for a vote on Saturday afternoon without wasting time on procedural votes.
However, the real challenge lies in garnering enough support for the bill to pass. It will require a two-thirds majority vote in favor of the measure, and McCarthy has not received any assurances from the 21 holdout votes within his own party. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, the leader of the holdouts, has even threatened to bring a motion to vacate if McCarthy proceeds with a clean bill or relies on Democratic support to pass the stopgap bill.
This situation puts McCarthy in a difficult position, but he is not one to back down easily. It remains to be seen whether he can navigate these treacherous waters and push the bill through against all odds. Whatever the outcome may be, this showdown is sure to shake up the halls of Congress and ignite fierce debates among both Republicans and Democrats. Stay tuned for further updates on this high-stakes political battle.
