A government shutdown is once again on the horizon, and behind the looming threat is the ongoing infighting amongst GOP members of the House of Representatives.
The shutdown involves House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s House spending bill that currently does not have the necessary 218 votes, thanks to infighting between a small group of far-right representatives and the remaining GOP representatives.
The proposed spending bill, unveiled Sunday night, would push the Sept. 30 shutdown deadline out another month, giving negotiators time in both chambers to hash out a larger deal, which would fund the government for most of next year.
Other parts of the deal would include spending cuts, dropping discretionary spending by roughly 8% while shielding funds for the Department of Veterans Affairs, Defense, and disaster relief.
Lastly, the spending bill includes most of the “Secure the Border Act of 2023.” This would see the construction of the southern border wall continue, restrict access to asylum, and boost the hiring of border agents.
But GOP hardliners in the Freedom Caucus have asked for even more spending cuts, which the Senate and President Biden would not pass, making a shutdown increasingly likely.
So far, around a dozen conservatives have already said they plan to vote “no” on the spending bill, criticizing the measure and McCarthy. With the House narrowly divided, McCarthy doesn’t have many votes that he can lose.
If the government does shut down, it could not bring repercussions for Republicans hoping to regain control in the next election, but also furloughs for federal workers.
The impact of a shutdown would include troops going unpaid, federal workers who provide basic services being furloughed, and severe damage to the economy.
Among Republican representatives, there is a growing frustration, as some veteran members share that the party needs to come together.
Rep. Mike Simpson (R-ID) shared this week that it was “frustrating that the place doesn’t work anymore.”
“We’re being dragged around by 20 people, but 200 of us are in agreement. … They want their way or the highway. And that’s not the way this government works,” Simpson said.