The U.S. House of Representatives returns this week for an expected political brawl over spending cuts and impeachment that could paralyze the Republican-controlled chamber, as Congress struggles to avoid a government shutdown.

The House and the Democratic-controlled Senate are due to be in session for about 12 days before funding expires on Sept. 30, leaving little time to agree on a package of 12 appropriations bills that can pass each chamber and win Democratic President Joe Biden’s signature.

The main bone of contention among House Republicans is a demand by roughly three-dozen members of the hardline House Freedom Caucus to cut spending for fiscal 2024 to $1.47 trillion – about $120 billion less than Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy agreed in May.

The White House and Senate leaders – including top Republican Mitch McConnell – have rejected that demand.

That dispute and other hardline demands, including opposition to Ukraine aid and calls for an impeachment inquiry against Biden, could imperil efforts to pass a short-term stopgap, known as a continuing resolution or “CR,” which would keep federal agencies afloat while lawmakers debate full-scale appropriations.

  • slowd0wn@kbin.social
    36·
    2 years ago

    Republicans pulled this same shit during Obama’s tenure. They have no intention of negotiating in good faith. They want the shutdown so they can point their fingers at Dems during their campaigns in the coming year. We’ll have a shutdown, suspending important government agencies and furloughing hundreds, if not thousands, of Americans just to manufacture an anti-liberal talking point.

    • Prox@lemmy.world
      4·
      2 years ago

      Shit, they did the same thing this year with the debt ceiling. And now they’re already going back on the promises they made. No reason to negotiate with these terrorists.

  • Rhaedas@kbin.social
    9·
    2 years ago

    The only thing that helps this headline stand out from so many “uh no, shutdown” headlines of the past is the included impeachment part. The shutdown will be used to its fullest drama potential just like before until the very end with some compromise, and the impeachment as well.

    Is this impeachment about Hunter Biden, or have they moved on from that nonsense? Oh, it’s about Joe Biden. Well, let’s see what evidence you have to work with and…oh, you don’t have any yet? That’s kind of necessary, guys.