In a stern address at the White House on Sunday, President Joe Biden placed blame squarely on House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans for bringing the nation to the edge of a crisis after narrowly averting a government shutdown on Saturday.
Biden’s Critique of the Crisis
Biden began by expressing relief that Congress had passed a spending bill to keep the government operational, emphasizing that it’s good news for the American people, preventing unnecessary pain and suffering due to a government shutdown.
However, he quickly shifted his focus to the root cause of the crisis, stating, “The truth is we shouldn’t be here in the first place. We shouldn’t have gotten here in the first place. It’s time to end governing by crisis, and keep your word when you give it in the Congress.” This reference alluded to a budget agreement reached with McCarthy back in May.
Last-Minute Resolution to Avoid Shutdown
Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown by passing an eleventh-hour stopgap funding bill that provides 45 days of government funding. This move came after weeks of deadlock in negotiations over funding legislation. Notably, McCarthy made a sudden reversal on Saturday, bringing a bill to the floor that abandoned certain border policies and spending cuts that had been promised to appease conservative hard-liners.
Biden signed the bill just minutes before the midnight deadline, preventing a potentially disastrous government shutdown. However, in the rush to avert this crisis, one of Biden’s key priorities, aid for Ukraine, remained in limbo.
Concerns Over Ukraine Funding
During his Sunday speech, Biden highlighted the absence of Ukrainian funding in the agreement. He acknowledged the consistent support from the Speaker and the majority of Congress for Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s aggression. However, he expressed hope that the commitment to supporting Ukraine would be upheld, despite the omission of Ukrainian funding from the agreement.
Biden’s concern for Ukraine remained evident as he emphasized the importance of his friends on the other side of the aisle keeping their word regarding support for the embattled nation.
Future of Ukrainian Funding
To address the omission of Ukrainian funding, a White House official informed on Saturday that they anticipate McCarthy will introduce a separate bill for funding Ukraine “shortly.”
As the government continues to operate under the stopgap funding bill, the fate of Ukrainian aid, ongoing budget negotiations, and the level of cooperation between the two parties in Congress remain subjects of considerable interest and concern.
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