Speaker Kevin McCarthy made a surprising move on Wednesday, stating that the House would not pass any continuing resolutions that included more money for Ukraine or that did not help secure the border.
McCarthy made the comments during a closed-door meeting with members of the GOP caucus, in which he reiterated his intention to pass separate bills for spending. This is in stark contrast with the massive pork-filled omnibus bills that Nancy Pelosi, his predecessor, has been pushing for decades.
NEW — MCCARTHY said he told MCCONNELL that he cannot take up a bill that funds Ukraine and doesn’t fix the border.
In other words, if it wasn’t clear, the CR the Senate is taking up is dead on arrival in the House.
McCarthy said if House Republicans pass a CR it makes them…
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 27, 2023
Conservatives will be pleased with this position. Mitch McConnell, the Minority Leader in the Senate, has worked with Democrats to pass a CR that would include an additional $4.5 billion for Ukraine. The CR would not include any conditions to secure the border. Republicans in the House do not want to give another large sum of money to a war that has reached a deadlock, while the Southern Border continues to spiral out of control.
McCarthy also does what he can in terms of practicality to support his game. Even fiscal hawk Rep. Thomas Massie supported them because they were drafted in regular order. If the GOP caucus can stay together, the omnibus may finally come to an end.
McCarthy’s willingness to make this stand shows that he is supported by enough Republicans to succeed. If the GOP remains united, it will force the Senate to act.
