The U.S. House of Representatives returns this week for an expected political brawl over spending cuts and impeachment that could paralyze the Republican-controlled chamber, as Congress struggles to avoid a government shutdown.

The House and the Democratic-controlled Senate are due to be in session for about 12 days before funding expires on Sept. 30, leaving little time to agree on a package of 12 appropriations bills that can pass each chamber and win Democratic President Joe Biden’s signature.

The main bone of contention among House Republicans is a demand by roughly three-dozen members of the hardline House Freedom Caucus to cut spending for fiscal 2024 to $1.47 trillion – about $120 billion less than Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed in May.

The White House and Senate leaders – including top Republican Mitch McConnell – have rejected that demand.

That dispute and other hardline demands, including opposition to Ukraine aid and calls for an impeachment inquiry against Biden, could imperil efforts to pass a short-term stopgap, known as a continuing resolution or “CR,” which would keep federal agencies afloat while lawmakers debate full-scale appropriations.

  • Hot SaucermanEnglish
    34·
    10 months ago

    Aren’t these the same people who absolutely lost their shit over a “lockdown” that wasn’t a lockdown and “shutting down” the economy during a worldwide pandemic?

    So, in some reality, they understand that wholesale shutting things down without a plan is a bad thing, huh?

    When will anyone wake up and start screaming in these motherfuckers faces “You’re painfully transparently operating in bad faith, you piece of shit!”