A stopgap spending deal struck between separate factions of the House GOP was splitting the Republican conference on Monday, with less than two weeks until the government funding deadline on Sept. 30.
The conservative House Freedom Caucus and the more pragmatic Main Street Caucus released a short-term spending bill, known as a continuing resolution (CR), aimed at buying lawmakers more time to avoid a government shutdown. The bill would keep government funded through October with a roughly 8% cut to discretionary spending outside of Veterans Affairs, defense and disaster relief, according to an internal one-page document obtained by Fox News Digital.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., one of several Republican lawmakers who said they will oppose the CR, disputed Rep. Byron Donalds’ assertion that it had no money going toward Ukraine. Donalds, R-Fla., was one of the key negotiators of the deal.
“Your CR funds Section C and Section K of Public Law 117-328. Here’s what the law says. It funds Ukraine in multiple sections, including 2 funds with no specified dollar amount that leaves the spending up to Biden. Billions more could end up being sent to Ukraine with your CR!” Greene wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
HOW CONGRESS MIGHT END UP FUNDING FLORIDA, HAWAII DISASTER RELIEF AND UKRAINE AID AT THE SAME TIME
Donalds responded that Greene was “wrong” and claimed she previously voted for the provision she was attacking.
“Actually, you are wrong. The provision is to train our troops, so they can train our allies. It’s been in law since 2013. It was in the NDAA (National Defense Authorization Act), which you VOTED FOR this year,” Donalds hit back.
Greene responded, “I voted for the NDAA, which is policy, in order to be on the conference to remove the money for Ukraine. Defense approps and your CR actually write the checks, the NDAA does not, come on you know that. I’m a NO.”
HOUSE, SENATE HEADED FOR SPENDING SHOWDOWN AFTER SENATE PUSHES FOR $13.7 BILLION EXPANSION
“This is 2023, not 2013, and our country is now funding a proxy war with nuclear Russia. Training is only one thing, the rest is for war. Read the actual law text your continuing resolution funds,” she added.
It came after Greene took an indirect shot at the negotiators on Sunday night, pointing out that there were three more formal factions within the GOP.
CONSERVATIVES WARN MCCARTHY THEY’LL VOTE AGAINST SPENDING BILLS THAT DON’T CUT ‘BLOATED’ GOVERNMENT
“Freedom caucus and Mainstreet are only two of Five families,” she wrote.
In addition to the spending cutbacks, the proposed CR would also implement key portions of House Republicans’ border security bill, excluding eVerify provisions.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., told reporters Monday that the CR would get a vote on Thursday. However, as of now, there appears to be enough opposition to tank it.
GOP Reps. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., Matt Rosendale, R-Mont., Dan Bishop, R-N.C., and Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., are among those who said they would at least oppose the CR in its current form, if not a CR altogether.
[#item_full_content]