McCarthy struggles to pass a temporary spending bill to avoid a shutdown as others look at options

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In the midst of a precarious situation, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy remains undeterred in his quest to rally support for a temporary funding bill, thus averting a looming federal government shutdown. However, his determination is met with uncertainty, and lawmakers are exploring alternative options.

McCarthy, a Republican speaker, engaged in intense closed-door negotiations with his GOP colleagues, publicly emphasizing that there is still time to win over hard-line conservatives. Privately, though, he faces dwindling options to secure government funding before the month’s end.

“It’s not September 30 — the game is not over,” McCarthy insisted to reporters upon arriving at the Capitol.

Yet, after a lengthy evening meeting, progress toward a resolution was minimal. McCarthy admitted, “We’re very close there,” but acknowledged that more work remained.

Even if McCarthy manages the improbable feat of uniting House Republicans around a conservative spending plan, its success would be short-lived. The Senate, where Democrats hold sway, would likely reject the hard-right bill, which includes substantial 8% cuts to various services.

On the Senate side, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer attempted to advance bipartisan spending bills to kickstart the process, but faced opposition from Republicans. A test vote on a bipartisan package of defense and military appropriations bills was thwarted by GOP senators, aligning with House Republicans in advocating for deeper cuts.

Schumer lamented, “It’s yet another reminder that in both houses, a small group of hard-right Republicans are dead set to grind the gears of government to a halt.”

This week has seen a series of setbacks for McCarthy’s plan, triggering speculation about his grip on power. A group of five GOP lawmakers from the right-wing House Freedom Caucus, in defiance of the speaker, joined forces with Democrats to prevent consideration of a typically popular defense bill, advocating for broader discussions on spending cuts.

As McCarthy schedules a do-over vote for Thursday, aiming to advance the defense bill, the House floor is at a standstill, with no progress on matters related to the impending government shutdown. McCarthy has warned lawmakers that they may work through the weekend to address the issue.

McCarthy’s original intent was to garner support for a stopgap bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government for a month while negotiations continue. This temporary measure would achieve some conservative goals, including an 8% reduction in government services, while safeguarding defense and veterans accounts. Additionally, it proposes a range of conservative policies on immigration and border security.

However, conservative holdouts demand a commitment from McCarthy to maintain funding cuts for the entire year during budget talks with the Senate.

During a lengthy meeting, McCarthy offered a compromise, pledging to advocate for lower overall spending levels in subsequent bills, but this did not satisfy some conservatives. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida asserted that at least seven Republicans would oppose the continuing resolution, sufficient to prevent its passage.

With a narrow House majority, McCarthy needs near-unanimous Republican support to pass conservative bills over Democratic objections.

As House Republicans continue their internal disagreements, some lawmakers from both parties are seeking bipartisan solutions. Centrist groups, such as the New Democratic Coalition and the Republican Governance Group, are in discussions to break the impasse. Meanwhile, members of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus are working on a framework to fund the government into 2024 while budget negotiations persist.

In the Senate, a bipartisan group of senators aimed to demonstrate unity in preparation for negotiations with the House, but their efforts fell short as Republicans stood their ground.

In addition to the budgetary concerns, President Joe Biden’s request for an additional $24 billion in military and humanitarian aid for Ukraine is at stake, with some lawmakers aiming to include it in the essential funding bills for the U.S. government.

Meanwhile, the Senate is embroiled in another dispute, as Democratic Sen. John Fetterman’s preference for casual attire prompted a shift away from the chamber’s traditional dress code, sparking further contention among senators.

In this volatile political climate, uncertainty looms over the fate of government funding, with lawmakers grappling to find common ground amid ideological divisions.

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• House Speaker Kevin McCarthy: Information about Kevin McCarthy, the House Speaker mentioned in the text.
• Government Shutdown: An explanation of what a government shutdown entails and its consequences.
• Continuing Resolution (CR): Details on the legislative mechanism often used to temporarily fund the government.
• Bipartisan Negotiations: Information on how bipartisan negotiations occur in the House of Representatives.
• Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer: Profile of Senator Chuck Schumer, who is mentioned as the Senate Majority Leader.
• House Freedom Caucus: Information about the right-wing House Freedom Caucus.
• Budget Talks: Insights into the budgetary discussions in Congress.
• President Joe Biden’s Request for Aid to Ukraine: Details regarding President Biden’s request for additional aid to Ukraine.
• Senate Dress Code: Information about the Senate’s dress code and recent changes mentioned in the text.