In a defeat for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the measure failed 198-232 as 21 Republicans joined Democrats in opposition to the plan.
McCarthy earlier had expressed confidence that the plan, which included a 30% across-the-board cuts for most agencies and more spending on border security, would pass, notably because the measure also contained no funds for assisting Ukraine in its war against invading Russia.
On Friday afternoon, though, Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., led the far-right opposition to the measure, known as a continuing resolution. He and others in the conservative Freedom Caucus want the House to pass all 12 appropriations bills with substantial spending cuts. Such a plan would have to be negotiated with the Democratic-controlled Senate.
Lamenting the measure’s failure, moderate New York Rep. Mike Lawler placed the blame squarely on Gaetz, according to a report by The Hill.
“There’s only one person to blame for any potential government shutdown, and that’s Matt Gaetz,” he said. “He’s not a conservative Republican. He’s a charlatan.”
On Friday, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a statement opposing the House plan, calling it “a blatant violation of the funding agreement the speaker and the president reached just a few months ago.”
The Senate passed its own stopgap measure on Thursday, 76-22, but members of the….
