Just four days out from a government shutdown, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has declared a bipartisan Senate stopgap measure dead on arrival.

Senators, having apparently lost faith in McCarthy’s ability to stave off a shutdown, negotiated a bill late Tuesday night that funds the government until Nov. 17 and includes $12 billion in aid and disaster relief for Ukraine. It’s expected to be voted on by the end of the week before being sent over to the House, and is intended to buy lawmakers more time to hash out a longer-term deal, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said.

But, according to Punchbowl News, McCarthy said in a closed-door meeting on Wednesday morning that he wouldn’t take up a bill that includes Ukraine funding but no border security measures. “I don’t see the support in the House,” he reportedly said.

Aid for Ukraine has been one of several sticking points for ultraconservative hardliners in the House who have repeatedly sabotaged McCarthy’s efforts to get spending bills passed.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    This stupid fuck. All he has to do is negotiate with the Democrats. His speakership is over regardless. He must know that. The only point in what he’s doing now is cruelty. People will starve and he’s fine with it. He wants it.

    • Buelldozer@lemmy.today
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      1 year ago

      All he has to do is negotiate with the Democrats.

      He did. The Budget was negotiated with President Biden back in June / July. What’s happened is that he can’t get the Freedom Caucus to vote for what he negotiated. It’s ridiculous.

        • TechyDad@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          True, except the Freedom Caucus is threatening to hold a vote to remove him as Speaker if he dares do anything they don’t like.

          McCarthy wants to keep his power position (even though, as it’s currently set up, he doesn’t really have much power) more than he wants to help this country. If helping the country would result in some minor harm to the level of power he has, he’ll let America burn.