McCarthy Has a Warning for GOP Lawmakers Threatening to Tank a Government Funding Bill

Leah Barkoukis | September 18, 2023 12:40 PM

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) issued a warning to House Republicans threatening to vote against a stopgap spending bill, arguing such a move would give power to the Biden administration.

After asking McCarthy to walk viewers through the issues he’s getting pushback on for the continuing resolution, which would fund the government past the Sept. 30 deadline to avert a shutdown, host Maria Bartiromo wondered what he wants to see happen.

“I understand the frustration we have with this administration,” the GOP leader said. “But it’s a difference of strategy. Some people say you should shut down but think about this—I’ve been through shutdowns and I’ve never seen someone win a shutdown because when you shut down you give all the power to the administration.

“But how are you going to win your arguments to secure the border if the border agents don’t get paid?” he continued. “How are you going to win the arguments to get wokeism out of the Department of Defense if even our own troops [aren’t] being paid? You have no strength there. I think the greatest ability to it is finish the appropriation work…give us a short time period to get that done and make the case to the American public.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz and at least a dozen other Republican lawmakers do not support the CR deal.

🚨New: Here is the list of current House Republican who are opposed to the CR Deal👇
1. Andy Biggs
2. Dan Bishop
3. Lauren Boebert
4. Ken Buck
5. Tim Burchett
6. Eli Crane
7. Matt Gatez
8. MTG
9. Cory Mills
10. Ralph Norman
11. Andy Ogles
12. Matt Rosendale
13. Victoria Spartz pic.twitter.com/wTZ2zVzQlX
— The Calvin Coolidge Project (@TheCalvinCooli1) September 18, 2023

CR negotiated by Byron Donalds and Dusty Johnson.

No policy riders in the CR. So it’s all the policies from last year’s Democrat appropriations, with an 8% cut. Plus the border bill, but no E-Verify.

I’m a NO.

No money for Ukraine, COVID, or weaponized Gov.

America First!🇺🇸
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) September 18, 2023

For months, I have made it very clear that I will not be supporting a CR. And this week is no different.

A CR is a continuation of Nancy Pelosi’s budget and Joe Biden’s policies. We were assured in January that we weren’t going to use the Democrats’ gimmicks to fund government…
— Matt Rosendale (@RepRosendale) September 18, 2023

McCarthy cannot lose more than four votes if all Democrats vote against it, and there are a few expected absences already.