(Bloomberg) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy proposed a deal to temporarily avert a US government shutdown, with demands including an 8% spending cut for domestic agencies and a resumption of border wall construction.
McCarthy presented the plan to Republican lawmakers in a conference call Sunday evening after negotiators representing key factions within the House GOP settled on the demands to temporarily fund the government for 31 days. A House vote on the measure is planned for Thursday.
The demands, which also include provisions curtailing the ability of migrants to claim asylum in the US, are anathema to most Democrats and aren’t likely to be accepted by the Democratic-led Senate. That means the bill doesn’t reduce the risk of a shutdown.
The bill also doesn’t contain emergency Ukraine war funds or disaster aid including relief for victims of Maui wildfires and a Florida hurricane requested by President Joe Biden’s administration.
McCarthy immediately faced opposition from some GOP ultra-conservatives that could doom the plan. Six hard-right lawmakers quickly announced their opposition. McCarthy can only afford to lose four Republicans, without Democratic support.
But if McCarthy and the plan’s authors can unite Republicans behind the strategy, it would clear the way for the House to vote on a proposal for temporary funding. Efforts to pass funding measures have ground to a halt in the House amid clashes between GOP hardliners and moderates.
