The U.S. government is facing a potential shutdown this weekend after the House of Representatives rejected a measure backed by Speaker Kevin McCarthy. White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients said President Joe Biden has no plans to talk to McCarthy, and a group of hard-right Republicans have refused to vote on a continuing resolution to keep the government funded. The White House has urged Congress to pass a short-term deal to keep the government funded and avoid a shutdown.
Posts tagged as “the House of Representatives”
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of allowing Alabama to redraw its congressional maps with greater representation for Black voters. This could potentially send another Democrat to Congress, and is a victory for Black voters in Alabama who have long been underrepresented. The ruling orders Alabama to redraw its maps with an additional Black majority district or “something quite close to it”, and Secretary of State John Merrill has submitted three proposals to do so.
Key takeaways: The House of Representatives was unable to pass a motion to begin debate on a military funding bill due to a small group…
U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert has confirmed that she was one of two guests removed from a performance of “Beetlejuice” at the Buell Theatre in Denver on Sunday, after theatergoers complained of her vaping, singing, and recording the performance. The Denver Center for the Performing Arts released a statement saying that it had to remove two guests for violating theater policies, and Boebert later confirmed that she was one of them. This is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding Boebert, and it remains to be seen how the incident will affect her reputation and political career.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy faces a difficult challenge as the House of Representatives returns from its summer recess this week, with a looming government shutdown deadline of September 30th. The situation has been complicated by the House Freedom Caucus, led by Rep. Ken Buck, who has dismissed fellow caucus member Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene's comments on a timeline for an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden. Rep. French Hill of Arkansas has said he would support a spending bill to fund the government through October, but it is unclear how the House Freedom Caucus will respond and whether McCarthy will be able to find a solution that satisfies both sides.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has suggested that the House of Representatives could open an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden next month if he does not provide personal records requested by Republicans. The Biden administration has not yet responded to the request, and it is unclear what documents are being sought. If the documents are provided, however, there would be no need for an impeachment inquiry.
The House Freedom Caucus has declared that they will not support a temporary spending bill unless it includes language on border security, new laws to address the “weaponization” of the Justice Department and FBI, and a shift in some of the Pentagon’s policies. This announcement has increased the chances of a government shutdown, as the provisions they are demanding are likely to be opposed by Senate Democrats and the White House. The Freedom Caucus has been a powerful force in the House since 2015, and their latest statement makes it clear that they will not support any bill that does not include their demands.
Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) is reportedly considering a long-shot primary challenge to President Joe Biden in 2024, meeting with donors in New York next week to discuss the possibility. Phillips, a moderate Democratic member of House leadership, has called for a contested primary featuring younger candidates rather than handing the 2024 nomination to the 80-year-old Biden. He is highly unlikely to mount a primary challenge unless Biden's health worsens or his political standing drops precipitously.