Avoiding a government shutdown in the fall is essential to keeping the GOP’s Hunter Biden investigation going, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) implied Sunday.
“If we close, all governments will close. The investigation and everything – it hurts the American public. But if we can pass our appropriations bill, we’re in a much stronger position to remove Pelosi’s policies locked into law,” McCarthy said on Fox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.”
McCarthy’s statement followed a lengthy discussion about the findings of the Republican Congress on Hunter Biden, with host Maria Bartiromo asking if they would be able to “deepen” their investigation into the first family while also “fighting with Democrats and the White House over government funding” by the September 30 deadline.
Republicans and Democrats — during the debt ceiling frenzy in May — agreed to work toward passing the traditional 12 annual appropriations bills to fund the government, rather than moving for long-term ongoing solutions, or temporary funding measures.
But McCarthy on Sunday insisted Congress needed more time to pass an appropriations bill, and pushed for stopgap measures to avoid a shutdown.
“I don’t believe we will have enough time to pass all the appropriations bills by September 30th. So I would actually like to have a short-term CR,” McCarthy insisted, referring to the continuing resolution.
Many observers doubted Kevin McCarthy’s ability to steer a slim GOP majority through the debt ceiling fight last spring.Getty Images
McCarthy was under strong pressure from his conservative wing, the Freedom Caucus, to squeeze more concessions from Democrats than were won in the debt ceiling fight.
The Freedom Caucus has publicly opposed calls for a non-binding “clean” continuing resolution.
President Biden signed a bipartisan debt ceiling compromise bill — the Fiscal Responsibility Act — in early June to roll back the nation’s borrowing authority and set limits on discretionary spending.
But Congress still needs to fund the government, or there will be a shutdown during the next fiscal year, which begins in October.
Kevin McCarthy defended the debt ceiling deal and he supported a short-term CR bill to avoid a government shutdown.AP
Democrats have attacked attempts by conservative hardliners to protest additional concessions after concessions made during the debt limit battle.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) recently praised McCarthy for supporting a stopgap measure to buy more time to pass an appropriations bill.
If Congress has a continuing resolution, instead of 12 appropriations bills, on or after January 1, 2024, there will be an automatic 1% cut for fiscal year 2024, consistent with the Fiscal Responsibility Act.
President Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act into law last June.JIM WATSON/POOL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Throughout recent history, Congress has relied on continuing resolutions in the form of omnibus bills to keep the government funded, so the return to 12 appropriations bills is quite notable.
In addition to battling the government shutdown, McCarthy, in an interview Sunday, also touted revelations about the Biden family’s foreign business dealings.
“We didn’t know all along that the president lied to the American public,” McCarthy said. “I have Democrats now telling me, they’re very concerned, because they’re supporting this president based on what he’s telling America. And with each round, we find that’s not true.”
McCarthy did not say which Democrats raised concerns about the president.
Hunter Biden is facing an investigation from Congressional Republicans and newly appointed Special Counsel David Weiss.AP
He also avoided whether or not he plans to bring an impeachment inquiry against Biden when Congress returns from recess in September.
McCarthy has previously indicated that Republicans could bring forward an impeachment inquiry, which is different from starting impeachment proceedings, but has not set a timeline.
The White House has disputed claims that Biden misled the public and accused Republicans ran down the “conspiracy hole.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
