Barring any last-minute deals, the federal government will shut down Sunday.
U.S. Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo. 4th District, said the battle centers around a small group of Republicans who are rebelling against the agreement earlier this year that raised the nation’s debt ceiling.
“We’re basically at a stalemate with four members right now who are intent on not passing a continuing resolution, I think, at any point in time,” Alford said. “They are setting up roadblocks on the rule votes for Department of Defense Appropriations.”
That’s not the only major issue that is up against the clock for Congress this week, as Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization and the new farm bill are facing September 30th deadlines.
Alford is not part of the breakaway group of four. He said he’s friends with one of the members.
“We’ve had a discussion, (and) he just doesn’t feel like we can move forward with the spending levels,” Alford told Brownfield Ag News. “We shouldn’t have waited till this moment in time to pass these appropriation bills and it’s time for Congress to start doing the job that we were sent here to do.”
Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Florida, may push to oust Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker if the four holdouts don’t succeed in getting their demands.
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