House Democrats Bail Out McCarthy in Government Shutdown Battle With GOP

The House of Representatives on Saturday afternoon passed a stopgap funding bill to avert a looming government shutdown, largely floated with bipartisan support from Democrats.

The House had, in recent days, been struggling to get a federal funding measure passed, risking a shutdown of the government along with many of its vital services. The process was largely stalled by the further-right, MAGA-aligned members of the House GOP, who demanded major spending cuts that were unlikely to garner bipartisan support. Given the slim, nine-seat majority Republicans hold in the House, these few members had been able to hold up House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's efforts to get a deal done.

The measure passed on Saturday is a temporary one, keeping the government funded for 45 days and allowing Congress to continue developing a long-term spending arrangement. It was successfully passed, 335-91, with bipartisan support from a majority of Democrats, with 209 joining Republicans in bailing out McCarthy's beleaguered efforts. Of the 91 votes against the measure, 90 were Republicans.

Among those who voted against the measure were Representatives Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mike Bost of Illinois, Roger Williams of Texas, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, Michael Guest of Mississippi, and Robert Aderholt of Alabama. Mike Quigley of Illinois was the only Democrat to vote against it.

The bill must now pass in the Senate before it can be enacted. It is expected to face easier odds there, as Democrats control the chamber by a slim margin of 50-49. The party's majority is temporarily weakened following the recent passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein of California. Though they are independents, Senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Angus King of Maine, and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona all caucus with the Democrats.

Meanwhile, members of the House GOP's further right flank, including Representative Matt Gaetz of Florida, have been threatening to call votes to vacate McCarthy from the speakership, should a measure be passed with certain bipartisan compromises, including further funding for aid to Ukraine amid Russia's ongoing invasion. According to Politico, the stopgap measure contained none of the spending cuts or border security policies requested by Republicans, but did include $16 billion for disaster aid, as requested by the White House.

"There was an outcry from rank-and-file that want a [continuing resolution]," Representative Don Bacon, a Nevada Republican, said. "We're tired of f***ing around with these whack jobs. They voted against it yesterday, so let's just put up a clean CR."

Gaetz, along with notable MAGA Republicans Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Paul Gosar of Arizona, and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia all voted against the measure.

In order to secure the votes to become speaker earlier this year from his narrow majority, McCarthy made numerous concessions to Gaetz and his colleagues, some of which made it easier for members to call for a motion to vacate.

"It's alright if Republicans and Democrats work together," McCarthy said, according to reporter Jake Sherman in an X, formerly known as Twitter, post on Saturday. "If somebody wants to make a motion against me, bring it. There has to be an adult in the room."

Newsweek reached out to McCarthy's office via email for comment.

Politico noted in its report that the move by McCarthy to introduce the "clean" bill to a vote on Saturday caught many Democrats by surprise, leading to a harried effort to scrub it of any unfavorable additions. Though many in the party ultimately voted for the measure, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries did not whip any members for or against it.