Curated By: Shankhyaneel Sarkar
Last Updated: August 23, 2023, 11:46 IST
Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)
US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy could face more challenges to his position because the right of the Republicans feel they are ignored on core issues. (Image: AP Photo)
Kevin McCarthy, US House Speaker, faces another simmering revolt and threat to his position due to the continuing resolution.
A Texas Republican from the US House of Representatives said that US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s speakership is in trouble because he does not meet demands raised by fellow conservatives and needs help from the Democrats to avert a government shutdown.
Texas Republican Representative Ronny Jackson said that is detrimental to the leadership in the House if people like him and the Freedom Caucus are left unheard.
“It’s going to be detrimental to leadership in the House, if they blow off the concerns of the people like myself and the Freedom Caucus and some of the other people on the right that are making reasonable demands in this problem,” Jackson was quoted as saying by news agency The Hill.
The comments were made during a podcast episode of War Room hosted by Steve Bannon. “I think if we continue to rely on the Democrats to pass important legislation out of the House, it’s going to be a real problem for leadership,” Jackson further added. He said challenges to McCarthy’s speakership are inevitable.
McCarthy told Republicans last week that the House of Representatives will have to pass a short-term solution known as a continuing resolution in order to keep the government open following the end of fiscal year on September 30.
The House Freedom Caucus were quick to fire back and say that any attempts at stopgap government funding will be opposed if there are no policies to tackle the border crisis, the “weaponization” of the Department of Justice and “woke” policies in the Pentagon, The Hill said in a report.
Jackson himself said that any continuing resolution brought to the floor must contain provisions slashing funding for the Department of Justice. Another Texas Republican Chip Roy led 14 other Texan Republicans to pledge that they will not vote for a continuing resolution or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill if it does not contain provisions to secure the border.
The congressional caucus said its members want any stopgap to “include the House-passed ‘Secure the Border Act of 2023’ to cease the unchecked flow of illegal migrants, combat the evils of human trafficking, and stop the flood of dangerous fentanyl into our communities.”
These demands are making it tough for Republicans in the House of Representatives who can risk only a few votes to pass a measure due to their slim majority. This means they must rely on Democrats to pass any bills.
The House Freedom Caucus has enough votes to take down any measure taken by the Republicans. “McCarthy is going to have to listen to the people on the right,” Jackson said.
