Just four days out from a government shutdown, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has declared a bipartisan Senate stopgap measure dead on arrival.

Senators, having apparently lost faith in McCarthy’s ability to stave off a shutdown, negotiated a bill late Tuesday night that funds the government until Nov. 17 and includes $12 billion in aid and disaster relief for Ukraine. It’s expected to be voted on by the end of the week before being sent over to the House, and is intended to buy lawmakers more time to hash out a longer-term deal, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.

But, according to Punchbowl News, McCarthy said in a closed-door meeting on Wednesday morning that he wouldn’t take up a bill that includes Ukraine funding but no border security measures. “I don’t see the support in the House,” he reportedly said.

Aid for Ukraine has been one of several sticking points for ultraconservative hardliners in the House who have repeatedly sabotaged McCarthy’s efforts to get spending bills passed.

  • TechyDad@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    They’re already starting. They’re claiming that the reason that the government is going to shut down is because Biden refuses to negotiate.

    Of course, the problem here is that 1) Biden DID negotiate back in June/July and got a deal which the House Republicans are breaking, 2) the Senate passed a bipartisan bill that Biden would sign, and 3) the debate is in the House right now. On the latter point, Biden has no place in the House. He could negotiate behind the scenes or make public comments, but it’s not his job to go onto the House floor and try to get votes for a bill.

    Blaming Biden for the House being unable to pass a bill is like blaming your doctor for your car problems.

    • hydrospanner@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      You’re exactly right…

      but

      That’s not gonna mean a thing to the already irrational Trump voters…

      but

      If these house morons used their heads, they’d realize they’ve already got those votes in the bag, and all these stunts are doing is weakening their hold on more traditional and more centrist Republican voters. These voters might not flip, but they very well might just not vote for these representatives.