House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has sent the House home for the week without a resolution on the looming government shutdown, after members of the Freedom Caucus refused to play ball, scuttling plans to pass a Continuing Resolution (a 30-day band-aid to avoid government shutdown), and putting 11 appropriations bills in jeopardy which McCarthy is hoping to pass in the next nine days.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)
McCarthy on Thursday accused the (actual) conservatives of wanting to "burn the whole place down."
But wait, there's more!
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), meanwhile, has a bill lined up that could form the framework for the Continuing Resolution designed to keep the government operating beyond Sept. 30, according to Punchbowl News.
On Friday, the House Rules Committee is slated to mark up four spending bills, Homeland Security, State-Foreign Operations, Defense and Agriculture, as part of the GOP leadership's plan to get the 11 appropriations bills through the chamber. The four amount to $1.52 trillion in total spending – tens of billions less than what the Senate will accept.
After that, House members will return on Tuesday evening according to GOP leadership aides.
Punchbowl suggests that a Senate-led CR may have always been in the cards – as any bill to fund the government must be bipartisan, and McCarthy has been unwilling to put a bipartisan solution on the floor out of fear of an open war with his hardline conservatives.
When lawmakers return Tuesday, they'll have just five days left to avoid a shutdown.