Top Republican McCarthy Makes Another Attempt to Prevent Shutdown
Just hours before the deadline, top Republican Kevin McCarthy is making another attempt to prevent a government shutdown. His new plan involves a temporary funding bill without provisions for Ukraine aid.
With a potential government shutdown looming, top Republican Kevin McCarthy has announced a last-minute effort to prevent a shutdown. “We will put a clean continuing resolution on the table to keep the government open for 45 days,” the House Minority Leader stated. This would allow time to reach an agreement on a proper federal budget.
The temporary funding bill would include money for disaster relief and border security. However, aid for Ukraine, which has been under attack from Russia, is not included in the proposed bill. This move appears to cater to the desires of the ultra-right wing within McCarthy’s party, who have recently called for diverting the funds earmarked for Ukraine to domestic investments.
“No budget component for Ukraine”
McCarthy stated that his proposal includes “no budget component for Ukraine.” He placed the responsibility for any potential shutdown on President Joe Biden if he opposes the plan. The White House initially requested $24 billion in the budget for military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Republicans hold a slim majority in the House of Representatives. It remains uncertain whether McCarthy has enough support within his own party for the temporary funding bill. The radicals within his party have opposed previous proposals that included significant cuts and continue to oppose any short-term funding measures. Their specific demands remain unclear, as the House Republican faction is deeply divided.
A risky strategy for McCarthy
Even if McCarthy manages to garner enough support from his party members for his new proposal, it is unlikely to pass in the Senate, the second chamber of the US Congress, where Democrats hold the majority under President Biden. Additionally, time is running out.
McCarthy’s new proposal could be an attempt to shift blame for a shutdown onto the Democrats in the end.
This strategy, which relies on the support of House Democrats, also poses a significant risk for McCarthy as he could potentially lose his position as House Minority Leader.
Impacts depend on the duration of the shutdown
The funding approved by the US Congress at the end of last year will expire on Sunday night (midnight Eastern Time, 6 AM CEST). Therefore, a new federal budget or a temporary funding bill must be passed to prevent a government default.
A shutdown would result in millions of government employees not receiving their salaries. Many departments and agencies have emergency plans in place. While most military personnel will continue working, they may temporarily go without pay. The severity of the impact on daily life and the economy in the US will depend on the length of the shutdown.
