House Republicans aren’t exactly making themselves a lot of new fans.
Their legislative chamber finally passed a government funding deal on Saturday with mere hours to go before a shutdown. Though the deal still needed approval from the Senate, the most lasting hurdles to funding the government were coming from the House, meaning the biggest problems were solved. GOP leadership finally put on the floor for a vote what was deemed a clean continuing resolution, which extended past funding approvals for roughly a month and a half, though it excluded support for new aid from the U.S. for Ukraine amid its war with Russia. More House Democrats voted for the bill than House Republicans, some of whom expressed opposition to any short-term fix. Some Republicans were also demanding certain policy wins alongside government funding.
“Democrats voted to keep our govt open and I was one of them,” Rep. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-N.J.) said on Saturday. “All the gop cuts and radical policies were removed. This entire process was a disgrace because republicans made it so. Every American should watch and know one immutable fact: republicans are unfit to govern. The support for Ukraine stripped out by republican extremists must be restored. America must support democracy in Europe despite the rump fascist wing of the republican caucus. I am sick that so many in Congress are now in clear cahoots with Russia.”
Other Democrats, though supporting the short-term funding fix, were also quickly speaking in favor of that additional aid for Ukraine. The policy wins so desperately sought by some Republicans were in areas like the southern border and immigration. On the list was a jump-start to southern border wall construction, while elsewhere, there was also talk of a short-term continuing resolution that kept the government operational while imposing massive cuts. Neither would have provided for the swift bipartisan consensus needed in an era of divided government.
The support for Ukraine stripped out by republican extremists must be restored. America must support democracy in Europe despite the rump fascist wing of the republican caucus. I am sick that so many in Congress are now in clear cahoots with Russia.
— Bill Pascrell, Jr. 🇺🇸🇺🇦 (@BillPascrell) September 30, 2023
