House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is in a very difficult position as Republicans this week are preparing to start debate on four government funding bills and hardliners refuse to pass any stopgap measure, Rep. Mike Turner said Sunday.
“I’ll bet on Kevin McCarthy any day. And we certainly have time yet to go. But he’s in a very difficult position because the holdouts keep saying to Kevin McCarthy, don’t bring bipartisan bills to the floor,” Turner (R-Ohio) said on ABC’s “This Week.” “We don’t want you to use Democrat votes to try to avert a shutdown.”
Congress has yet to pass legislation that would fund the federal government past the end of the month.
“But they’re using Democrat votes to try to cause the shutdown,” Turner said of the GOP hardliners. “And these individuals, these Republican holdouts are voting with Nancy Pelosi against Republican bills that have been brought to the floor, that will — could trigger a shutdown.”
Turner’s comments come after the House last week failed to pass legislation to fund the government amid Republican infighting with hardliners who have promised to object to any stopgap measure.
Republicans are preparing to vote Tuesday on whether to start debate on four government funding bills: Defense, State, Homeland Security and an agriculture bill.
“Now, I think Kevin is going to continue to negotiate until the end,” Turner said. “But, you know, the Republicans need to vote for Republican bills, and we can avert the shutdown.”
Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) held a sharply contrasting view Sunday by plainly stating on MSNBC’s “The Sunday Show” that the government is headed toward a shutdown.
“The Republican Party is in complete disarray. It is chaotic. The speaker is on his knees begging, but he sold his soul when we had 15 Roll calls that was taken in order for him to get to be speaker, and now he has no control. We’re headed for a shutdown,” Waters said.