House Republicans are facing internal divisions as they try to avoid a government shutdown by passing federal funding bills. The original plan to pass all 12 appropriations bills before August has hit a roadblock due to opposing factions within the GOP.
Rank-and-file Republicans are frustrated by rebels pushing for unpopular votes that may not make it into final bills. Meanwhile, fiscal conservatives accuse the majority of not utilizing their power.
Some lawmakers have resorted to name-calling, with accusations of “political masturbation” flying around. Despite the goal of passing funding bills efficiently, the process has been marred by delays and disagreements.
As the government faces a potential shutdown, a short-term extension seems likely. This decision could impact post-election negotiations and depends on who wins the presidential race.
Overall, the House is struggling to find common ground on funding issues, leading to uncertainty about future budget plans.
“Many of the appropriators are not excited about seeing some of these amendments being voted on,” a House Republican told Fox News Digital. “So, they vote against the amendments, and they get upset with those people when they don’t vote for the full appropriations bill, so everybody’s mad.”
“If you bring an amendment up that … makes me feel good … but it’s literally not going to pass a markup, or it’s not going to allow the bill to pass on the floor because the moderates are not going to like it, it’s just political masturbation at that point. So, what are we doing?” another GOP lawmaker expressed.
Despite efforts to pass individual bills, disagreements persist among House Republicans, threatening the timely resolution of funding issues.