‘Democrat Senator: McCarthy Holds Key to Government Shutdown’
Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown Possibility
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and several other lawmakers expressed their concerns about a potential government shutdown due to a lack of agreement within Congress on funding. They emphasized that the responsibility lies with the House majority.
When questioned about the shutdown possibility, Mr. Van Hollen stated, “It’s up to [Rep. Kevin] McCarthy.”
Members of the Senate and House of Representatives are facing a Sept. 30 deadline to debate and pass 11 major spending bills. These bills need to be approved by both chambers and sent to the president for signature. Only then can conference committees be appointed to resolve differences. Time is running out.
If any of the 11 measures fail to pass, the government will run out of funds on Oct. 1 and face a shutdown. However, there is little optimism in the nation’s capital that the deadline will be met.
Mr. Rubio, speaking to reporters, expressed his opposition to shutdowns but acknowledged that contentious issues like border security could hinder progress. He believes these issues are crucial to any funding package.
“The question is, who will be responsible for the government shutdown? The people who refuse to enforce immigration or the people who insist that we take action. … I am concerned, but we can only control what happens on our end.”
Democrats Blame House GOP
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) blamed the Republican House leadership for the potential shutdown, citing their inability to pass a defense appropriation bill, which used to be their priority.
Mr. Schumer also highlighted the Senate’s problems, with a group of senators trying to mimic the House’s Freedom Caucus and holding up the defense bill, despite its bipartisan support.
“Our Republican leaders need to prioritize the country’s interests and their party’s interests by rejecting this matter concerning public lands,” Mr. Schumer emphasized.
Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) expressed his fear of an impending shutdown and criticized Republicans who welcome it. He specifically mentioned Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) from the House Freedom Caucus, who is willing to accept a shutdown to achieve their budgetary goals.
According to Mr. McGovern, Mr. McCarthy is being influenced by individuals who do not care about the consequences of a shutdown.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) stressed the importance of prioritizing future generations over upcoming elections when addressing questions about the House Freedom Caucus’s use of the defense appropriations bill as leverage to cut nondefense spending.
“Our national debt is the number one long-term threat to our nation. We are spending $2 trillion more than our revenue this year, and our interest expenses will reach $700 billion. … We must focus on balancing our budget,” Mr. Marshall emphasized.
Jackson Richman and Mark Tapscott contributed to this report.
What challenges might hinder the progress towards reaching a funding agreement?
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If any of the 11 measures fail to pass, the government will run out of funds on Oct. 1 and face a shutdown. However, there is little optimism in the nation’s capital that the deadline will be met.
Mr. Rubio, speaking to reporters, expressed his opposition to shutdowns but acknowledged that contentious issues like border security could hinder progress. He believes these issues are crucial to any funding package.
Lawmakers React to Government Shutdown Possibility
Several lawmakers, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), have expressed their concerns about the possibility of a government shutdown due to a lack of agreement on funding within Congress. They have emphasized that the responsibility lies with the House majority.
When questioned about the shutdown possibility, Mr. Van Hollen stated, “It’s up to [Rep. Kevin] McCarthy.”
Members of the Senate and House of Representatives are currently facing a Sept. 30 deadline to debate and pass 11 major spending bills. These bills need to be approved by both chambers and sent to the president for signature. Only then can conference committees be appointed to resolve differences. Unfortunately, time is running out.
If any of the 11 measures fail to pass, the government will run out of funds on Oct. 1 and face a shutdown. However, there is little optimism in the nation’s capital that the deadline
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