The top House Democrat on Thursday warned some Republicans are “driving us toward a government shutdown” and called the majority’s most conservative bloc “irresponsible individuals.”
Some House Freedom Caucus members and their far-right allies last week shut down the chamber floor after opposing a rule for several bills they supported over frustrations about the debt and spending deal Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., reach with President Joe Biden. The 11 rebels relented Monday evening, but not before the speaker agreed to craft most fiscal 2024 appropriations bills at fiscal 2022 spending levels.
Senate appropriators intend to write their versions of the same bills to spending caps set by the McCarthy-Biden deal at fiscal 2023 levels. The possibility that conservatives would move to boot McCarthy from the speakership if he seeks to send Biden bills that spend more than 2022 toplines is prompting government shutdown fears.
