WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Sunday urged House Republicans — specifically extreme right-wing Republicans — to keep their word on government funding after Congress voted to pass a stopgap bill to keep the government funded until November.
Speaking at the White House, the President praised the deal that lawmakers reached and warned that extreme members of the Republican Party could attempt to shut down the government again.
“The last few days and weeks extreme MAGA Republicans tried to walk away from that deal,” Biden said. “Voting for deep, lasting spending cuts from 30 to 80% — that would have been devastating for millions of Americans.
“It failed again, it failed again, and we stopped it,” he added. “But I’m under no illusions that they’ll be back again.”
Biden also called on House GOP leadership — mainly House Speaker Kevin McCarthy — pass yearlong appropriations bills that are in line with the agreement the two men made earlier this year. Biden has frequently chastised the speaker for backtracking on that agreement.
“I hope my friends on the other side keep their word about support for Ukraine. They said they’re going to support Ukraine in a separate vote,” Biden said. “We cannot, under any circumstance, allow American support for Ukraine to be interrupted.”
When asked by reporters if he trusts McCarthy to make a deal, Biden said: “We just made one about Ukraine. So we’ll find out.”
“I fully expect the speaker to keep his commitment to secure the passage and support needed to help Ukraine as they defend themselves against aggression and brutality,” he said.
A spokesperson for McCarthy responded to the President’s remarks in a statement later in the day: “Speaker McCarthy has been clear and consistent: we have an obligation to fix the crisis at the border and to ensure any request for further aid to Ukraine is matched with a sound strategy and accountability. The House will continue to discuss these challenges in the weeks to come.”
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) said on CNN earlier in the day that he will move to oust the speaker as soon as this week.
