Speaker Kevin McCarthy is now backtracking on his plan to remove Ukraine aid from a massive military spending bill in an attempt to avoid a government shutdown next week.
Speaker McCarthy is now saying that the bill will include $300 million in aid, which will be used “to provide assistance, including training; equipment; lethal assistance; logistics support, supplies and services; salaries and stipends; sustainment; and intelligence support to the military and national security forces of Ukraine, and to other forces or groups recognized by and under the authority of the Government of Ukraine, including governmental entities within Ukraine, engaged in resisting Russian aggression against Ukraine, for replacement of any weapons or articles provided to the Government of Ukraine from the inventory of the United States.”
This is a complete reversal of his position the day before, in an attempt to get a spending bill approved and avoid a government shutdown on October 1st. McCarthy previously wanted to strip funding from the bill and give it a seperate vote.
McCarthy is now saying that he will bring the bill that includes Ukraine aid to the floor “win or lose, and show the American public who’s for the Department of Defense, who’s for our military, who’s for giving them a pay raise and who’s for making sure we can take the wokeism out.”
McCarthy argued that it would be too complicated to remove the aid because of the Republicans' funding strategy to bringing the Defense bill to the floor with other measures.
“It became too difficult to do that, so we’re leaving it in,” McCarthy told reporters about the Ukraine funds.
Even with Ukraine funding included, it is unclear if the House Republicans have the votes to open debate on four government funding bills: Defense, State, Homeland Security and an agriculture bill.
“We’ll see if we get there,” Rep. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.), a member of the Rules Committee, said about the vote Tuesday to start debate.
A coalition of House conservatives broke from convention and opposed the rule for the Pentagon appropriations bill twice last week, blocking the legislation from moving forward to debate and a vote on final passage.
Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) supported the rule Tuesday but voted against it Thursday, citing the Ukraine aid. Greene told the Hill that removing Ukraine aid from the bill “should have happened weeks ago.”
“Unfortunately it looks like some of the House’s strongest conservatives are going to vote for the rule to help along..the ‘process.’ Voting yes on the rule means more money for Ukraine. It’s that simple. No one who wants peace should vote yes on the rule to advance the bills. That’s why I’m a HARD NO on the rules package and a blank check for Ukraine!”, Greene tweeted.
TOO HARD TO TAKE OUT THE "AID"? Calling bs on that bs.
(McCarthy out, Trump in, sounds good to me) ” Gaetz said in a floor vote on Tuesday. “The path forward for the House of Representatives is to either bring you into immediate, total compliance or remove you pursuant to a motion to vacate the chair.”CONGRESS Government spending fight spells trouble for McCarthy speakership by Cami Mondeaux, Congressional Reporter
The House returned to Capitol Hill on Tuesday and conservative lawmakers are underscoring their demands for a deal on government funding, with several hinting at trouble for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as he seeks to appease all corners of his party while also holding on to his No. 1 position in the lower chamber.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus reiterated their previously issued ultimatum to House leaders on Tuesday, vowing to vote against any spending legislation that is brought to the floor unless a slew of GOP priorities are included. That pledge involves a number of demands, such as a vote on border legislation and the end of “woke policies” in the Pentagon, among other things.
MCCARTHY FACES THREATS OF SPEAKERSHIP OUSTER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN LOOMS
“We're not interested in a continuing resolution that continues the policies and the spending of the Biden-Schumer-Pelosi era,” House Freedom Caucus Chairman Scott Perry (R-PA) said. “We're not going to vote for it. We didn't vote for it last December, and we're not going to vote for it now.”
Other rank-and-file Republicans have issued their own separate demands as spending battles continue, including from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who has become a vocal critic of McCarthy in recent days.
In a heated floor speech on Tuesday, Gaetz accused McCarthy of being “out of compliance” with the agreement that was brokered among House Republicans in exchange for their support during the speakership elections in January. Gaetz listed a number of demands he said were part of the initial speakership agreement that have yet to materialize, such as deep budget cuts for the next fiscal year.
The Florida Republican then took it a step further, warning that if McCarthy puts forward a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown at the end of the month, he will advance a motion to vacate.
“I rise today to serve notice, Mr. Speaker, that you are out of compliance with the agreement that allowed you to assume this role,” Gaetz said in a floor vote on Tuesday. “The path forward for the House of Representatives is to either bring you into immediate, total compliance or remove you pursuant to a motion to vacate the chair.”
That sentiment was echoed by a handful of members of the House Freedom Caucus, who lamented that McCarthy has not held up his end of the deal.
“The fact of the matter is, let's be very clear, we talked about reducing spending. That was part of the agreement,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) said. “We haven't done what we agreed to do. We talked about passing a balanced budget. We talked about actually passing a budget. We haven't done that.”
Roy stopped short of saying whether he’d back a motion to vacate if McCarthy pushes forward a continuing resolution, but the Texas Republican remained adamant that “under no circumstances should we have a … clean CR.”
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) reiterated that statement, noting a vote on a continuing resolution that does not include measures dealing with border security or the Department of Justice “would endanger Speaker McCarthy’s leadership.
“We will not kick the can of addressing excessive government spending down the road again in order to find the time to get another horrendous backroom deal,” Clyde said. “Such a decision would not only fail to deliver on our promises but would ultimately fail the American people who sent us here to fix this broken system.”
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Rather, caucus members vowed to pass all 12 appropriations bills individually as their solution to avoid a government shutdown — noting they would stay in Washington until the budget is finalized. Congress has until Sept. 30 to pass the budget for the next fiscal year, after which the government will run out of money and will shut down until a deal is made.
The House has only passed one of its appropriations bills so far, with lawmakers hoping to push its Defense Department spending legislation past the lower chamber this week. Still, Congress has only 18 days to get the rest through both chambers to avert a shutdown.
McCarthy made a deal with house republicans & if he breaks it he loses speakership. He also made a deal with the cabal long ago & if he breaks it he is either suicided or blackmailed to the point of political suicide. He obviously has no choice. He will try to bring a vote, the cabal will try to muscle a few republicans on the fringes. Gaetz has no choice but to vacate him before the vote