House Republicans cancel vote on short-term funding measure amid infighting – as it happened

Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy after a meeting on how to agree on a path to funding the government. Photograph: J Scott Applewhite/AP

9.00pm BST

Closing summary

With the US government 12 days away from shutting down, House Republicans were plagued by infighting between Kevin McCarthy and a handful of far-right lawmakers who refuse to approve a measure to keep the government open through October. In a sign of how bad the split has become, a procedural vote on the short-term funding bill expected to happen today was cancelled, and an attempt to advance a Pentagon spending bill was voted down, thanks to rightwing Republicans. But even if the House does get its ducks in a row, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said the short-term measure they would have voted on will not pass the chamber. It’s clear there’s lot of negotiating remaining if a government shutdown is to be avoided.

Here’s what else happened today:

• House Republicans will hold the first hearing of their impeachment inquiry against Joe Biden next week.

• Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican, warned that the GOP may be blamed if the government shuts down.

• A Trump supporter at the center of conspiracy theories over January 6 has now been charged for his actions during the insurrection.

• Biden addressed the United Nations general assembly in New York City, and we have a live blog covering the day’s events.

• Jimmy Carter’s one-term presidency may have been on Biden’s mind as he pursued a deal with Iran that led to the release of seven Americans yesterday.

8.51pm BST

As Politico reports, House Republicans aligned with Kevin McCarthy, which is most of them, had hoped that teeing up a vote on the defense spending measure would break the logjam with rightwing legislators who are holding up business in the chamber.

But it didn’t work. The five GOP “no” votes, together with the Democrats’ refusal to vote for legislation they oppose, doomed the effort to begin debate on the bill:

This adds to the tough week for McCarthy

His rank and file wanted to put this DOD bill on the floor and dare other members to oppose it. Move didn’t work — it failed with 5 GOP no votes https://t.co/vkousGFXjU

— Olivia Beavers (@Olivia_Beavers) September 19, 2023

Punchbowl News reports that Republican lawmaker Mike Garcia accused the five Republicans who voted the rule down of, essentially, aiding the enemy:

Mike Garcia singled out Biggs, Buck, Rosendale, Norman and Bishop.

“I think they're good Americans, but they're confused and they just handed a win to the Chinese Communist Party as a result of this vote.”

— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) September 19, 2023