Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy dealt a major blow to the deep state on Saturday in a shocking victory securing the House passage of a 45-day stopgap bill to stop a government shutdown and cut off funding for Ukraine.
The narrow victory came amid disagreements inside McCarthy’s own conference as Democrat’s pushed for a government shutdown over Ukraine funding.
Earlier this week, panicked Democrats began using delay tactics as it became clear the momentum for a stopgap continuing resolution was building.
Shout it from the rooftops:
— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1) September 30, 2023
Democrats are trying to shut down the government over Ukraine.
This is a national scandal. https://t.co/XTkfe4ivpO
The desperation was so apparent that Democrat representative Jamaal Bowman allegedly pulled a fire alarm in the Capitol to delay the vote.
Following the incident, an investigation was launched by the US Capitol Police while House Republicans issued calls for him to be expelled from Congress.
Bowman was caught on camera pulling the stunt in the Cannon Building.
“I thought the alarm would open the door,” Bowman told reporters about the incident.
“I was rushing to make a vote, I was trying to get to a door,” he said.
“[Bowman] pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning,” a spokesperson for the Congressional Administration Committee said.
“An investigation into why it was pulled is underway.”
As McCarthy enjoys his victory in averting the shutdown, the bill will now shift to the Senate, where Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) have been calling to use the funding battle as leverage for continuing to send more money to Ukraine.
Both McConnell and Schumer have acquiesced to the House bill to prevent the government shutdown.
“The American people can breathe a sigh of relief. There will be no government shutdown,” Schumer said.
The bill will now head to Joe Biden’s desk to be signed.
With 45 minutes to spare, Biden signs the continuing resolution holding off a shutdown until Nov. 17. pic.twitter.com/WFaL1NbYlQ
— Andrew Solender (@AndrewSolender) October 1, 2023
Senate Democrats fumed over removing Ukraine funding from the spending deal, though Republicans vowed to deny them the 60-vote majority needed to pass the Senate deal.
Biden said in a statement:
“Tonight, bipartisan majorities in the House and Senate voted to keep the government open, preventing an unnecessary crisis that would have inflicted needless pain on millions of hardworking Americans.
This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more. This is good news for the American people.”
Biden added:
“We cannot under any circumstances allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted.
I fully expect the Speaker will keep his commitment to the people of Ukraine and secure passage of the support needed to help Ukraine at this critical moment.”
With just 3 hours left, Congress has passed a bipartisan bill to avert a government shutdown – excluding the demands from Extreme House Republicans.
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 1, 2023
Now it’s on the way to President Biden’s desk where he will promptly sign it into law.
It never should have been this close. https://t.co/WYXGlCWgDG
But the bill’s short length will give “Pro Ukraine” advocates time to plot for the next spending battle, where they will likely use another threat of a shutdown as leverage for further Ukraine funding.
Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) acknowledged McCarthy’s victory on Saturday.
“It’s rumored that Pentagon officials are on their way over to the Capitol to lobby for Schumer-McConnell,” tweeted Lee.
“The Military Industrial Complex doesn’t like to lose.”
Sens. Lee and Rand Paul (R-KY) planned to use delay tactics on a CR vote, but now they have signaled they will allow for quick consideration of the bill in the Senate.
For months, many Conservatives have pushed to avoid a shutdown and stop Ukraine funding leading McCarthy to dare his critics to try to oust him following the vote
“If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it,” the Speaker said.
“There has to be an adult in the room.”
The Speaker also said an Ethics Committee investigation into Bowman’s actions should be conducted.
“I’m going to have a discussion with the Democratic Leader about it, but this should not go without punishment,’ he said.
While McCarthy and conservatives have cause to celebrate, the battle for more Ukraine funding will gain momentum again if the bill passes the Senate this weekend.
READ: Nikki Haley Blasts Trump’s Anti-war Stance on Ukraine: He’s ‘Weak in the Knees’
