Republicans in chaos: House GOP yanks vote to avoid a government shutdown after conservative rebel opposition

Republican leaders in the House of Representatives voted Tuesday in favor of a short-term spending deal, a sign of the federal government’s diminishing chances of avoiding a shutdown by September 30.

The cancellation of Tuesday’s vote is the latest sign of a massive internal conflict within the Republican Party that could be the cause of an imminent government shutdown.

The short-term deal, negotiated between the right-wing Freedom Caucus and the pragmatic conservative Main Street Caucus, would have kept funding for Defense and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at 2023 levels and would have triggered a reduction of 8 % in all other agencies.

It would also institute the provisions of the House Republicans’ border bill, HR 2, in addition to E-Verify. The bill excludes funding for Ukraine and disaster relief.

The short-term continuing resolution (CR) would have pushed back the funding deadline to October 30, giving Congress an extra month to pass appropriations bills and fund the government for fiscal year 2024.

But it nonetheless sparked opposition from more than a dozen Republicans, largely within the Freedom Caucus, as those who worked on the deal demanded to know exactly what they wanted.

McCarthy, in a closed-door meeting, asked those who opposed the deal to come to Majority Whip Tom Emmer’s office and explain what they were opposed to.

A number of opponents were seen entering the whip’s office after the meeting to air their grievances.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, a member of the Freedom Caucus who helped draft the deal, spoke about the opposition: “I find it extremely difficult to explain or defend the opposition to a reduction of eight percent over 30 days in exchange for the most conservative option. and strict border security measures that we have ever adopted by this agency.

At other times, Roy found himself on the same side as the deal’s opponents, most of whom actively opposed President McCarthy and his legislative priorities in the past.

He said some were trying to “get ahead of themselves” by claiming the deal was “bad practice”, but that “the real malpractice is moving towards a closure without a coordinated and concerted message (from) the entire Republican conference.

The failure to get conservatives on board with a spending bill leaves the door open for a rescission motion — which GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz has repeatedly threatened to bring forward to oust McCarthy.

If McCarthy can’t get Republicans on board with a spending deal, he may have to propose one that Democrats could vote for, a move that is sure to draw the ire of his far-right caucus.

Some of those opposed to the deal say the House should stick to its original plan and pass 12 separate appropriations bills to fund each agency individually. This way, MPs could vote for one and not the other rather than having to vote for or against whether the government is funded.

But with less than 12 days until the end of the fiscal year, that feat would be nearly impossible, especially since the Senate would also have to approve 12 bills and reconcile them with the House’s proposals.

The House is preparing a vote Tuesday on the defense spending bill, introduced last week amid conservative opposition.

Despite conservative policies that will withhold Democratic votes, some on the right voted against it in protest, arguing that they wanted to know the main costs of the 12 appropriations bills before voting for one.

Others, like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., say the bill includes funding for Ukraine and funds special counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into Donald Trump.

“It’s just petty internal politics,” Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, the lead author of the deal, told DailyMail.com. “We’re cutting the Department of Justice by eight percent in our legislation – who thinks it’s better to just close its doors?”

“Closures do not close special councils,” he continued. “There is now a history of active special counsel continuing their work, however stupid and disastrous it may be. During a shutdown, they continue this work, as the DOJ considers them essential services.

McCarthy also warned of the impacts a shutdown would have while denying that his conference members wanted that outcome.

“Nobody wants a shutdown,” he told reporters. “This stuff isn’t true. Think for a moment about what a shutdown does: it stops paying our troops. How can you have more leverage in this situation?

He has already warned the right wing that a shutdown would also hamper the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

Even if the CR deal were to pass the House, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer vowed the bill would fail in the Senate, calling it an “insult” to Ukraine the same week that President Volodymyr Zelensky plans a visit to the Capitol.

Ukraine is another point of internal conflict within the Republican Party.

As U.S. aid to Ukraine tops $100 billion in taxpayer dollars, a growing number of House Republicans are growing weary of doling out money for the Eastern European country’s war. Is against Russia – while senators largely emphasize the importance of funding war efforts.

Asked if he would commit to additional legislation to help Ukraine when he meets with Ukraine’s president this week, McCarthy responded: “Is Zelensky elected to Congress?” Is he our president? I have questions for him. Where is the accountability for the money we have already spent?

The White House has asked Congress to authorize an additional $24 billion for Ukraine.

A letter that White House Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young sent to Sen. JD Vance, Republican of Ohio, and a number of other Republicans included a table of the most 100 billion dollars sent by the United States to Ukraine.

Ukrainian-born Rep. Victoria Spartaz, R-Ind., said she appreciated the need for oversight of aid to Ukraine, but warned her colleagues against falling victim to Russian propaganda.

“Don’t underestimate Russian propaganda. The Russians are very good at this,” she told reporters. “They are trying to destabilize. You saw it in our elections.

“They spend a huge amount of time and money on…to be able to get people agitated.”

On Monday, the congresswoman called McCarthy a “weak” leader and indicated Tuesday that she respected democratic socialist Sen. Bernie Sanders more than the Republican leader.

“Don’t tell people, ‘I’m going to fight for you’ and ‘I’m going to do this and that.’ You know what, just say we don’t have backbone. We are afraid to challenge the big machine.

On Monday, she called for the creation of an official commission to investigate the spending cuts.

“When Bernie Sanders says, ‘I’m a socialist,’ you know what? At least he’s honest about it.