'Unmitigated disaster': Feuding GOP ends crisis meeting without path forward on spending bill
House Republicans descended into a bitter feud during a closed-door meeting to discuss plans for funding the government Tuesday.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy canceled plans to hold a vote on the proposal later this week, leaving him without a plan in place to fund the government less than two weeks before a shutdown would begin Sept. 30 following the contentious meeting, reported CNN.
“There are a lot of ‘No’ votes in that room. I don’t know how they will get to 218,” said Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) after the meeting. “Without a deal with Democrats, I don’t see it passing. … It is going to be a long two weeks.”
Rep. Bob Good (R-VA) said GOP leaders were “entertaining everything” to get a proposal ready to vote on, including even lower spending cuts, but he predicted that a shutdown was likely inevitable, and Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) called on Republicans to work through the weekend to reach an agreement on keeping the government funded.
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"[Norman] said he accidentally voted to support a rule for the short-term funding bill, saying he was 'asleep at the wheel' during the meeting on Monday night, but plans to vote against the rule when it comes to the floor," CNN reported.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) suggested McCarthy to set out a topline spending number and numbers for each of the appropriations bills to help undecided lawmakers understand the range of options.
“I think the biggest thing that I have heard – and this is where my colleagues I think have a really important point – what do we do next? The speaker needs to set a topline, needs to set a structure, a target,” Roy said. “I have been saying that for months. We are here in my opinion because we haven’t had a clear target.”
At least 16 Republicans pulled support for a short-term spending package Monday as hardliners such as Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) threatened McCarthy's continued leadership.
“It’s an unmitigated disaster right now on the majority side,” said Rep. Steve Womack (R-AR).