Far-right House Republicans on Tuesday fumed over House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's, R-Calif., debt ceiling deal with President Joe Biden — and some are even threatening a motion to oust him as speaker.
House GOP leaders and the Biden administration reached a deal to suspend the debt ceiling until 2025 and cut spending while boosting the defense budget. The deal would impose work requirements for food stamps on adults between 50 and 54 by 2025 and claw back billions approved by Congress for the IRS and COVID relief.
The deal drew support from many in the Republican Party but members of the House Freedom Caucus, who impeded McCarthy's ascension as speaker before he caved to many of their demands, are threatening to introduce a motion to put his speakership to another vote, which requires a motion from just one member to go to a vote under McCarthy's speakership deal.
Rep. Dan Bishop, R-N.C., called the deal "completely unacceptable."
"Trillions and trillions of dollars in debt, for crumbs. For a pittance," he said at a Freedom Caucus news conference.
Calling the debt ceiling deal vote “career-defining for every Republican,” Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) goes after Speaker McCarthy:
— The Recount (@therecount) May 30, 2023
“The dynamic force in Washington has been the unified House majority ... Imagine the decision of Kevin McCarthy and his negotiators to forfeit that.” pic.twitter.com/V6pwQdLkGV
Bishop was the only member of the caucus to raise his hand when asked whether they would support a motion to oust McCarthy.
"I think it has to be done," he told reporters, though he did not commit to filing a motion. "I'll decide that in conjunction with others," he said.
"I'm just fed up with the lies, I'm fed up with the lack of courage, the cowardice. And I intend to see to it that there is somebody who's prepared to say what needs to be done," he added.
Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) says he expects to move forward with a motion to vacate the chair and remove Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker:
— The Recount (@therecount) May 30, 2023
“I always work with others. My view is it’s going to have to be done.” pic.twitter.com/mF8sI6ABpb
"The Republican conference has been torn asunder," Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said at the conference, demanding that "not one Republican should vote for this deal."
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) says “not one Republican” should vote for the debt ceiling agreement:
— The Recount (@therecount) May 30, 2023
“The Republican conference right now has been torn asunder and we are working hard to try to put it back together again this weekend by making sure that this bill gets stopped.” pic.twitter.com/uXkxNSNFWL
Roy later said in a radio interview that the MAGA wing of the GOP may target what he has described as a "power-sharing" agreement with McCarthy "if we can't kill" the deal.
"We're going to have to regroup and figure out the whole leadership arrangement again," he said.
Other members have groused as well.
Rep. Ken Buck, R-Colo., floated using the motion to vacate on a Freedom Caucus call on Monday, according to NBC News, describing it as the "elephant in the room."
"Some people feel this is a complete miss," an unnamed Republican lawmaker on the call told the outlet., "I'd say there are five or more who would be sympathetic to Buck's position."
Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., told Fox News that he could be open to removing the speaker.
"It depends on how McCarthy deals from here on out," he said.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC), who originally opposed Kevin McCarthy’s Speakership, says he could soon be open to deposing McCarthy as House Speaker because of the debt ceiling agreement:
— The Recount (@therecount) May 30, 2023
“It depends on how McCarthy deals from here on out.” pic.twitter.com/IIwvaeMLFe
The deal will need Democratic votes to pass but it is unclear how many Republicans will defect. Reps. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., threatened to target McCarthy's leadership depending on how the vote goes.
"If this bill passes with a majority of Democrats voting in favor of it, then I'm sorry, that's the end of Kevin McCarthy's speakership," Boebert said on Steve Bannon's podcast. "That is a bad, bad look to pass a bill of this magnitude without the support of the majority and if it's Democrats."
Boebert: Tomorrow’s bill is a bunch of fake news pic.twitter.com/woJQuLCnrt
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 30, 2023
Gaetz told Newsmax that he would support a motion to vacate if "a majority of Republicans" oppose the bill and McCarthy has to "use Democrats to pass it."
"That would immediately be a black letter violation of the deal we had with McCarthy to allow his ascent to the Speakership, and it would likely trigger an immediate motion to vacate," he said.
"I think Speaker McCarthy knows that," he added. "That's why he's working hard to make sure that he gets, you know, 120, 150, 160 votes. And that's why those of us who are not supportive of the bill are trying to point out that many of the changes are cosmetic in nature."
Gaetz: If a majority of Republicans are against a piece of legislation, and you use Democrats to pass it, that would immediately be a black letter violation of the deal we had with McCarthy, and it would likely trigger an immediate motion to vacate. pic.twitter.com/Kjp2JD52Rv
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 30, 2023
The bill cleared a key hurdle on Tuesday as the House Rules Committee voted to advance the bill. Roy and Norman voted against the bill but fellow right-winger Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., served as the pivotal vote to advance the deal.
McCarthy has shrugged off the dissent and repeatedly defended the deal.
"The largest cut in the history of Congress, the biggest ability to pull money back, we've got work requirements. ... Tell me again what did the Democrats put in it? I couldn't remember what that was," he told reporters, adding that "it is an easy vote for Republicans."
Democrats have not been happy about the deal but House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., vowed to deliver Democratic votes to pass the deal if at least 150 House Republicans vote for the bill.
"House Democrats will make sure that the country does not default," he told reporters at a news conference.
Jeffries: It's our expectation that House Republicans will keep their promise and deliver at least 150 votes as it relates to an agreement that they themselves negotiated with The White House pic.twitter.com/s2N3TvQ5qh
— Acyn (@Acyn) May 30, 2023
But progressives have criticized the deal over new work requirements, spending cuts, and a provision to streamline the approval process for some energy projects, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline, which was pushed by some Republicans and Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.
"The process … sets an extremely dangerous precedent: Republicans can hold the economy hostage," Congressional Progressive Caucus Chairwoman Pramila Jayapal told reporters on Tuesday. "They can force through their extremist policy priorities that have absolutely nothing to do with cutting spending or cutting the deficit."
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the deal "rewards the hostage-taking that the Republicans have gotten so damn good at."
"I'm disappointed that our president was put in this position. The Republicans are demanding changes that they cannot get through the ordinary democratic process because they're not supported by the American people," she said.
"The minute we get the votes, we need to eliminate the debt ceiling," she added. "For good."
