McCarthy vows to move forward with House bill to avert shutdown despite GOP holdouts

Washington — Home Speaker Kevin McCarthy mentioned he would deliver up a Republican stopgap measure for a vote on Friday forward of a looming authorities shutdown, although it seems he nonetheless lacks sufficient help amongst his personal GOP members to cross it earlier than funding runs out Saturday evening. 

Chatting with reporters Thursday, McCarthy mentioned he assured it could cross the Home, a tall order given obvious opposition from a gaggle of hard-right Republicans and all Democrats. Lawmakers have till midnight on Oct. 1 to come back to an settlement to keep away from a shutdown.

“We’ll cross ours,” the California Republican informed reporters Thursday. “We’ll deliver that up on Friday.” 

He mentioned the short-term funding invoice would “safe the border,” which he mentioned may placate some Republicans who’ve been hostile towards supporting any stopgap invoice, whereas the Home works on passing annual spending payments. 

McCarthy additionally addressed issues that the GOP invoice can be useless on arrival within the Senate, which is advancing its personal persevering with decision, including that the Home model may be capable of garner help from Democrats.

“I am speaking to Senate Democrats, even this morning, that need to do one thing on the border,” he mentioned. “I’ve acquired Democrats who got here to me on the ground final evening saying, ‘We need to do one thing on the border.’ To me, that’s the place the place I feel we are able to get a stopgap invoice.” 

The Home’s invoice to keep away from a authorities shutdown

The Home stopgap invoice would fund the federal government by way of the tip of October, whereas the Senate’s bipartisan model retains operations going by way of Nov. 17. The Home model contains spending cuts and a border safety measure, whereas the Senate invoice funds the federal government at present ranges and contains help for Ukraine. 

“I am not going to play with that,” McCarthy mentioned about whether or not he would cede on funding for Ukraine if the Senate comes round on border safety.

Hardline Republicans are against any funding for Ukraine. With Republicans’ slender majority within the Home and Democrats united in opposition, McCarthy can solely afford to lose 4 votes to cross any invoice.

Almost a dozen far-right Republicans have mentioned they will not help or are unlikely to help any persevering with decision. 

“I do not perceive,” McCarthy mentioned of the holdouts.

He famous {that a} far-right contingent who held up advancing the annual appropriations payments wanted to fund the federal government are additionally in opposition to a stopgap measure. 

“Does that imply you simply do not need to govern?” he mentioned. 

Home Republicans are additionally working to advance 4 payments to fund the Departments of Protection, Homeland Safety, State and Agriculture for one more yr, which don’t have any likelihood of passing within the Senate. 

Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries mentioned all Democrats would vote in opposition to the GOP stopgap measure. 

“There isn’t any purpose for us to be contemplating payments that may don’t have any help when it comes to passage in the USA Senate, as a result of the Senate truly is engaged on bipartisan laws,” the New York Democrat informed reporters Thursday. 

Jacqueline Kalil and Scott MacFarlane contributed reporting.