House prepares vote on $1.7 trillion federal budget amid Kevin McCarthy objection

The House of Representatives is debating the massive $1.7 trillion measure to finance the government on Friday, racing to get a final vote before a monster storm approaches the East Coast.

But House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy sought to delay action to voice his party’s objections to the spending plan, a move that could cement his support among Republican lawmakers as he seeks their vote to become president.

He spoke for 24 minutes on the House floor where he described the budget as an “eyesore” littered with “wake-up pamphlets.” [that] it should not be funded by taxpayers.’

The Senate approved the federal budget on Thursday and rushed out of Washington DC before a nationwide ‘bomb’ snowstorm grounded flights and closed runways.

But many conservative senators voted no on the budget, arguing it was too costly and any final deal should wait until Republicans take control of the House on Jan. 3 and have more leverage in the negotiations.

Democrats have enough votes in the House to pass the budget without the help of the Republican Party.

But Republicans can drag out the debate process leading up to the final vote as a way to challenge the measure.

In addition to McCarthy’s speech, the GOP can do things like file a motion to adjourn the House.

Democrats can easily reject that, but it would take a long time to get an actual vote on the measure.

McCarthy is courting conservative lawmakers to support his bid to become a speaker next year.

After he finished speaking on the House floor, Democratic Rep. Jim McGovern rolled his eyes and said, “After hearing that, it’s clear he still doesn’t have the votes.”

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy voiced his objections on the House floor.

A massive storm known as a bomb cyclone has put nearly two-thirds of the US population under winter weather warnings, ahead of snowfall in Buffalo, New York.

Meanwhile, a massive storm known as a bomb cyclone has put about two-thirds of the US population under winter weather warnings. Freezing temperatures are expected in the Midwest and South. More than a million people are without electricity.

However, the House, unlike the Senate, still allows proxy voting, a practice that began during the COVID pandemic. Legislators may designate another legislator to vote for them.

On Thursday, 166 members of the House voted by proxy, about 39% of the chamber.

And that number was even higher on Friday as lawmakers scrambled to get home for Christmas while they could. More than half of the House, 230, have submitted letters to vote by proxy.

Also on Friday, the House will join the Senate in passing a spending bill to keep the government funded and running through December 30.

This is because the government funding is due at midnight on Friday. Even if the House passes the federal budget before that deadline, the process to register it takes time. Therefore, the stopgap measure will keep operations running while the legislative process finishes unfolding.

President Joe Biden is expected to sign both the stopgap measure and the federal budget.

The Senate approved the budget with a vote of 68 to 29 on Thursday.

It includes about $772.5 billion for domestic programs and $858 billion for defense and would fund federal agencies during the fiscal year as of the end of September.

The measure also includes about $45 billion in military, economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine, more than Biden requested. It brings total assistance so far to more than $100 billion.

Travelers check in for their flights at Logan International Airport in Boston, Massachusetts as flights are canceled

A runner runs along Lake Michigan in Chicago as the country braces for cold weather

And review federal election law to prevent future presidents or presidential candidates from trying to overturn an election. It is a direct response to efforts by former President Donald Trump to convince Republican lawmakers and then-Vice President Mike Pence to object to Biden’s certification of victory on January 6, 2021.

During that budget debate, an attempt by Republican senators to add an amendment that would extend Title 42, the Trump-era policy that uses the COVID pandemic to turn away immigrants at the border, was defeated.

Another amendment that would increase funding for border surveillance was also voted down.