Republicans are at odds over whether to hold government funding hostage in return for a solution to the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) urged his 212 members to hold the Biden administration’s feet to the fire Tuesday by opposing House Democrats’ fiscal 2023 funding bill if it does not change immigration policies in a way that reins in the record-high influx of illegal immigrants over the past 20 months.
“If Biden & Democrats don’t use this government funding bill to address the border crisis immediately, I’m voting NO on this bill and I urge my colleagues to do the same,” McCarthy wrote in a statement last week, referring to the 3.5 million apprehensions that federal law enforcement at the southern border have made since President Joe Biden’s first full month in office.
My statement on Democrats’ latest spending bill: pic.twitter.com/zRUgG0iJJ4
— Kevin McCarthy (@GOPLeader) September 20, 2022
Stephen Miller, former President Donald Trump’s top policy aide, also urged the party to ensure any bill only funds the government through February 2023 so that a potentially Republican Congress entering in January can advance funding more in line with conservative policies for the rest of the year.
BIDEN IMMIGRATION POLICIES SPUR ‘STAGGERING’ DEATH TOLL AT BORDER
But over in the Senate, it’s a different story.
Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Senate minority leader, has not indicated that he and the other 49 Republicans will follow suit.
Miller tweeted that Republicans could only afford to lose nine Senators if they want to force a vote on securing the border. He said typically, 15 Republican senators have voted to pass every Democratic budget bill.
15 GOP Sens typically vote w/ Schumer to pass every Dem budget bill. We can only lose 9 in order to force a vote on securing the border. Remember: if Dems defeat the amendment, 41 GOP must demand CR to Feb—pledging to enact border-sealing CR if they win in Nov. Nat’l Referendum. https://t.co/RUnbizIZag
— Stephen Miller (@StephenM) September 22, 2022
“Remember: if Dems defeat the amendment, 41 GOP must demand [a continuing resolution] to Feb — pledging to enact border-sealing CR if they win in Nov. Nat’l Referendum,” Miller added.
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The House is waiting for the Senate to move on a vote Tuesday. If no action is taken by the upper chamber, House Democrats will put forth a bill to fund the government temporarily to avoid a government shutdown Saturday, the first day of fiscal 2023.
