A bill backed by House Republican leadership that would have extended the partial government shutdown for another month passed on the House floor Friday evening, all but preventing the first suspension of some federal operations since January 2019.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) was only able to lose four Republican votes and still pass the measure along party lines. He lost 21 GOP votes as the bill went down, 232-198.
Eleven Republicans who voted against McCarthy’s speaker bid in January also opposed the funding measure, including Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas), Rep. Eli Crane (R-Ariz.), Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.), Rep. Mary Miller (R-Ill.), Rep. Rep. Andy Ogles (R-Tenn.) Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) and Rep. Keith Self (R-Texas).
They are joined by the opposition by Reps. Ken Buck (R-Colo.), Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Nancy Mace (R-SC), Cory Mills (R- Fla.), Alex Mooney (RW.Va.), Blake Moore (R-Utah) and Troy Nehls (R-Texas.)
Gaetz urged his colleagues to “not give up” on voting against the bill, adding after its failure that it “burned down like I told you all week it was going to.”
“This is not conservative republicanism. This is stupidity,” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), who flipped New York’s long-Democratic 17th District, said follow the vote. “You keep going crazy, you’re going to be in this position.”
“There’s only one person to blame for any possible government shutdown, and that’s Matt Gaetz,” he added to reporters.
A visibly agitated McCarthy told the media as he left the hall: “It’s not over; I have another idea.”
Although the bill has made it through the House, its nearly 30% cut in discretionary spending to non-defense and non-veterans agencies means it won’t be taken up by the Democrat-controlled Senate — while the White House issued a statement vowing to veto the measure on slim chance it reaches President Biden’s desk.
With the Senate not expected to pass its own shutdown bill until Saturday, hours before the 11:59 p.m. deadline, the House’s decision practically ensured a partial shutdown that would lay off some federal workers and force the military into action. without payment.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged Friday to give up his congressional salary if his narrow majority in the lower house fails to pass a new government spending bill.AP
In a show of solidarity, McCarthy had promised earlier Friday to release him congressional salary if a shutdown occursan action rejected by the White House as a stunt.
“Members of Congress should be paid, according to the constitution,” White House Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young told reporters. “So, maybe he’ll put it in the sock drawer, I don’t know. But they have to be paid at closing. That’s theater. That’s theater.
“I’ll tell you, the guy who picks up the trash in my office doesn’t get paid,” Young added. “That’s true, and that’s what makes me angry.”
President Biden has already vowed to veto the House Republicans’ appropriations bill.REUTERS
McCarthy, 58, has also vowed not to take up the Senate spending bill when it is expected to pass in the face of a vocal minority of Republicans who will not support more interim spending.
The Senate resolution will keep the federal government lights on until Nov. 17.
“The only way forward is for Members of the House to put the bipartisan continuing resolution emerging from the Senate on the House floor for an up or down vote,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said Friday. “And if House Republicans do that, we can avoid an extreme MAGA Republican government shutdown. It’s not that complicated.”
House Republicans oppose the Senate bill over $6 billion in aid to Ukraine, as well as lack of funding for US border security.
“Anytime you have a stopgap situation like this, you have an opportunity to take advantage,” said Rep. Garrett Graves (R-La.). “This is another opportunity. America does not want the southern border open. The vote is clear. It had a profound effect on us.”
“I still have time. I have time to do other things,” McCarthy told reporters Thursday afternoon during a briefing with Republicans. “At the end of the day, we’ll get it all done.” Reuters
The spending fight has split the Republican caucus, as hardliners led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) has been fighting to have McCarthy replaced and moderates have suggested joining Democrats to pass funding measures and prevent a shutdown.
Friday’s failure followed the House’s approval of three separate appropriations bills to fund the Department of State and foreign operations, the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security through fiscal year 2024.
McCarthy had removed $300 million in military aid to Kyiv from the defense appropriations bill, but a separate measure with those funds passed the House 311-117 on Thursday, with 100 Republicans joining all Democrats in support.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) (above) are moving toward a continuing resolution to fund the federal government without the House.AFP via Getty Images Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer arrives on Capitol Hill on Friday, September 29, 2023.MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Biden, 80, said Friday during a ceremony honoring retiring Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley that congressional Republicans were guilty of “absolute dereliction of duty” and called their failure to fund US military operations “disgraceful.”
“If the House fails to fulfill its basic functions and fails to fund the government by tomorrow, we will fail all our troops,” he said. “Our service members will continue to honor their oaths, show up for work, be guards around the world, keep our country safe, but they will not be paid.”
The White House had vowed last Friday that the president would veto the appropriations bill for the Department of State and Homeland Security.
Essential federal workers, US military service members and White House staff will continue to show up for their jobs through the shutdown.
Matt Gaetz speaks to reporters outside the US Capitol Building on Friday.Getty Images
Federal benefit programs like Social Security and Medicare will also be funded, but many agencies will lay off non-essential workers. Agency heads must determine which employees are considered essential.
Presidential appointees and employees performing “exempt work” will continue their duties throughout the shutdown, along with those in emergency services whose termination could threaten human life, according to guidance from the Office of Personnel Management.
Both “exempt” and laid-off workers will receive back pay once the federal shutdown ends.
Republicans passed their Homeland Security appropriations bill with more than $2 billion for border wall construction. Only two Democrats, Reps. Jared Golden (D-Maine) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.), joined them.
A fourth appropriations bill to fund the Department of Agriculture failed to pass the House, 237-191, with 27 Republicans against it.
The House and Senate must coordinate to pass 12 appropriations bills by January 1, 2024, to avoid a 1% across-the-board cut to federal spending.
With Postal wire
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
