McCarthy Threatens Senate Republicans on Budget Deal as Shutdown Deadline Approaches

The House and Senate are moving towards passage of a $1.7 trillion federal budget, which would avoid a partial shutdown and fund the government through fiscal year 2023, but some House Republicans are seeking to unite their party against it. 

Driving the News: House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) — whose bid for House Speaker has faced internal party opposition —  endorsed a message by 13 current and incoming House Republicans threatening to block future bills supported by any Republican senator who votes for the omnibus budget bill. “When I’m Speaker, their bills will be dead on arrival in the House if this nearly $2T monstrosity is allowed to move forward over our objections and the will of the American people,” McCarthy tweeted. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, (D-Calif.), Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) all support the budget bill. 

Senate GOP Response: Senate Republicans reportedly brushed off McCarthy’s warning; Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said, “Hopefully cooler heads will prevail,” and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said, “The reality is this kind of chest thumping and immaturity doesn’t instill confidence in their ability to lead.” 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage across the spectrum was most common in outlets that focus on congressional politics. Some coverage from outlets of all bias ratings described McCarthy’s statement as a “threat” or a “warning.”