President Joe Biden has criticized House Republicans after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy sent them home for the weekend without reaching an agreement that would prevent a government shutdown by the end of the month.
In a post on X, Biden reminded lawmakers of the consequences of the last government shutdown, which resulted in approximately "800,000 Americans" more than a third of the federal workforce, who "were furloughed or worked without pay."
He added:
"But enjoy your weekend."
You can see Biden's post below.
McCarthy's decision to send lawmakers home came after hard-line members of the House Freedom Caucus blocked efforts that would have opened debates on funding bills. A frustrated McCarthy complained that they "just want to burn the whole place down."
Initially, McCarthy had pledged that the House would work diligently through the weekend to resolve the crisis, with votes expected even on Saturday. However, it was later announced that votes for Friday and the weekend had been canceled, with members assured that they would receive "ample notice" if any votes were rescheduled.
The lack of progress in the House serves as a further blow to McCarthy's leadership, and several of Congress' most prominent hard-liners, particularly Florida Republican Representative Matt Gaetz, have threatened to file motions to oust McCarthy altogether.
Biden's criticisms were echoed by many who've condemned the GOP's inaction.
This recent development in the House highlights McCarthy's growing challenge in preventing a government shutdown by the end of the month.
Republicans have been unable to even pass messaging bills that could serve as their initial proposals, and they face significant obstacles in getting these bills through the Democratic-led Senate. The internal strife among Republicans may further intensify as they approach the point of having to make policy compromises to pass legislation that Biden would sign into law.
The situation has left many within the GOP concerned about the party's internal division. According to Tennessee Republican Representative Tim Burchett, the party is "very dysfunctional" right now, suggesting that GOP leaders are struggling to gauge votes compared to their Democratic counterparts.
Some Republican members have even signaled their willingness to work with Democrats to get a bipartisan funding bill passed if the GOP majority is unable to do so themselves.
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