Majority Leader Schumer said that Senate Democrats and Republicans worked through the weekend and came to an agreement on a short-term CR to keep the government open. Meanwhile, Speaker McCarthy continues to flounder.
Majority Leader Schumer told reporters:
Schumer explaining this bill is just a punt to keep working on supplemental, appropriations
“This CR is a bridge, not a final solution,” Schumer says. “We can and must do more to respond to disasters … we can and must do more to stand with our friends with Ukraine”
— Burgess Everett (asapburgessev on ) (@burgessev) September 26, 2023
Over on the House side of things, Republicans are still fighting over putting spending cuts in their version of the Continuing Resolution (CR) that will never see the light of day. Things have gone so off the rails that McCarthy is looking at cutting programs for people experiencing poverty to get enough votes from the far-right members of his caucus to pass a CR.
Even Mitch McConnell is against McCarthy on this one:
Government shutdowns don’t produce meaningful policy outcomes. Instead, they leave millions of Americans on edge and put progress on the nation’s business on ice.
Congress should work to avoid a shutdown this week.
— Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) September 26, 2023
The House and Senate have been racing to see who could get their government funding bill passed first because the bill that passes first will have an advantage if the government shuts down.
Speaker McCarthy is not close to having a bill that will pass, as the Senate will probably get their version done in the next few days, which means that if the government shutdown happens, McCarthy and the House Republicans will be screwed and blamed for the pain that they will cause the nation.
