WASHINGTON, Sept 29 (Reuters) - Hardline Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday rejected a bill proposed by their leader to temporarily fund the government, making it all but certain that federal agencies will partially shut down beginning on Sunday.
In a 232-198 vote, the House defeated a measure that would extend government funding by 30 days and avert a shutdown. That bill would have slashed spending and restricted immigration, Republican priorities that had little chance of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate.
The defeat left Republicans - who control the chamber by 221-212 - without a clear strategy to avert a shutdown that would close national parks, disrupt pay for up to 4 million federal workers and hobble everything from financial oversight to scientific research if funding is not extended past 12:01 a.m. ET (0401 GMT) on Sunday.
After the vote, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the chamber might still pass a funding extension without the conservative policies that had alienated Democrats. But he declined to say what would happen next. The chamber is expected to hold more votes on Saturday.
It’s about to sink McCarthy’s career. He gave too much ground to the Freedom Caucus when he was elected to Speaker. Now he’s absolutely accountable to a minority of House Republicans that decide their own policy behind closed doors. The GOP can’t even lead a functioning government amongst their own party. They’re a laughing stock made tragic by the millions affected by a government shutdown.
He was damned either way.
Standing up to them would’ve also sunk his career because the freedom caucus was too powerful in a divided house regardless. He either could’ve failed to get the nomination for speaker on their terms or he could be speaker on their terms – either way, a dead end. It would’ve been more ethical to stand up to them but was a bad political move either way.
His mistake was being a Republican, frankly.