Senate GOP Minority Leader Mitch McConnell teamed up with 21 other Republican senators Thursday to pass a temporary resolution that funds the federal government for another week in anticipation of a longer-term spending deal being finalized within that time frame.
McConnell stated that he would not support another extension.
The Western Journal reported that two options were offered by the Senate minority leader: Pinpoint a solution in the next week, or propose a shorter-term deal for a vote.
“That is the deadline, and those are the two options,” McConnell reportedly told The Washington Post this week.
Republican senators who joined McConnell in supporting the resolution included Sens. John Boozman of Arkansas, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Susan Collins of Maine, John Cornyn of Texas, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma, John Kennedy of Louisiana, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, Mitt Romney of Utah, Marco Rubio of Florida, Richard Shelby of Alabama, Dan Sullivan of Alaska, John Thune of South Dakota, Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Todd Young of Indiana.
Only 19 GOP Senators voted against the resolution, with a total of nine Republicans not voting at all.
Newsweek reported that an agreement on a final spending measure would soon be reached once details surrounding “defense and domestic spending” are worked out.
“If a truly bipartisan full-year bill without poison pills is ready for final Senate passage by late next week, then I’ll support it — for our armed forces particularly,” McConnell said on the Senate floor Wednesday, per the outlet. “Otherwise, we’ll be passing a short-term continuing resolution into the new year.”
Some Republicans have expressed frustration towards McConnell’s actions.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) spoke with Fox News host Laura Ingraham last week, telling her that Republicans trying to reach a compromise on the larger spending bill were “wrong.”
“Does that include McConnell?” asked Ingraham.
“Yes,” answered McCarthy. “Why would you want to work on anything if we have the gavel inside Congress?”
The office of Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) posted a video of Roy suggesting the negotiations akin to “jamming through a bill at the eleventh hour to get the political priorities of the current Democratic majority” which a “handful of Senate Republicans” are happy to engage with “so they can get pork.”
“The fact of the matter is, the American people are the ones who get screwed in this deal, they’re the ones who end up losing their country with $32 trillion in debt,” Roy passionately exclaimed.
"I'm looking at Mitch McConnell when I say this:
"DO YOUR JOB, @LeaderMcConnell! Do your job and follow the wishes of the American people who gave a majority to Republicans in the House of Representatives"
"And let's STOP this bill"
More on Dems' last-minute spending spree: pic.twitter.com/Zv0Igmk7G3
— Rep. Chip Roy Press Office (@RepChipRoy) December 14, 2022
