‘I’m totally disgusted’: Congress goes home for ‘college football weekend’ as government shutdown looms

In just nine days, the U.S. government may shut down, and rather than pull all-nighters to prevent it, our nation’s lawmakers are leaving Washington, D.C. for a long weekend of “college football” and “the end of golf season.”

Word came down on Thursday that House members “are done for the week.”

BREAKING — HOUSE will alert members shortly that they are done for the week

— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 21, 2023

According to the Daily Mail, “The House canceled votes, and told members to be ‘on call’ for future votes, after a series of two embarrassing failures over the rule to advance the bill that funds the Pentagon for fiscal year 2024.”

On Thursday, a handful of “America First” Republicans once again blocked a defense bill that, according to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) would “fund our DOD for blood money for the Ukraine war.”

Our country is being invaded by the thousands every damn day and our Department of Defense does nothing.

Our Defense bill should not fund our DOD for blood money for the Ukraine war, that’s why I’m a NO.

What did we get out of Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan? pic.twitter.com/8mP4VlpYaW

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) September 21, 2023

“I just voted NO to the rule for the Defense bill because they refused to take the war money for Ukraine out and put it in a separate bill,” she revealed on X. “And 55% of Americans and 71% of Republican voters agree with me that we should stop funding a war in Ukraine.”

I just voted NO to the rule for the Defense bill because they refused to take the war money for Ukraine out and put it in a separate bill.

And 55% of Americans and 71% of Republican voters agree with me that we should stop funding a war in Ukraine.

— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) September 21, 2023

Another continuing resolution (CR) to once again kick the funding can down the road is also proving to be a non-starter, according to the Associated Press.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy was fuming with frustration following Thursday’s vote.

“This is a whole new concept of individuals who just want to burn the whole place down,” he stated, according to AP. “It doesn’t work.”

Majority Whip Tom Emmer issued a notice indicating that lawmakers would be given “ample notice” if a weekend vote were to happen, the Daily Mail reports.

Were House members to stay in Washington, D.C. over the weekend, Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) said there’d likely have been an “attendance problem.”

“Some members may have already departed,” he said, according to the Daily Mail. “It’s college football weekend, fundraisers, it’s the end of golf season.”

Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) slammed McCarthy for the long weekend.

“As House members were working on spending bills, @SpeakerMcCarthy was telling people to go home for the weekend at 3pm on a Thursday,” he stated on X. “Pathetic. Low Energy. This is why we are where we are.”

“Any progress we are making is in spite of, not due to McCarthy,” he added.

As House members were working on spending bills, @SpeakerMcCarthy was telling people to go home for the weekend at 3pm on a Thursday.

Pathetic. Low Energy. This is why we are where we are.

Any progress we are making is in spite of, not due to McCarthy. https://t.co/40GETHCHaA

— Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) September 21, 2023

And Gaetz wasn’t the only one to vent his outrage.

“I’m totally disgusted we are talking about going home when a shutdown is looming,” stated Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.). “This is a terrible idea when we should stay in D.C. and work through our differences and deliver the results we all promised the American people.”

“We should not leave town – our border is on fire & we have to get our job done,” said Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas).

“Absolutely insane!” exclaimed Rep. Kat Cammack (R-Fla.). “Members should be working overtime – not hopping a flight home. We need to stay in DC until our work is done.”

I’m totally disgusted we are talking about going home when a shutdown is looming. This is a terrible idea when we should stay in D.C. and work through our differences and deliver the results we all promised the American people.

— Rep. Tim Burchett (@RepTimBurchett) September 21, 2023

We should not leave town – our border is on fire & we have to get our job done. https://t.co/6OGkgnyWYt

— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) September 21, 2023

Absolutely insane! Members should be working overtime – not hopping a flight home. We need to stay in DC until our work is done. https://t.co/ABhJ6vl6oZ

— Kat Cammack (@Kat_Cammack) September 21, 2023

Even if the House were to agree on a CR, it would not pass the Senate, which is scheduled to return on Tuesday, the Daily Mail reports.

“A CR that has no chance of passing the Senate is probably a bad idea,” Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-Texas) told the outlet.

Asked if a deal would appease enough Democrats to gain a majority vote, Gonzales stated, “I’d like to see more leadership in Congress, period.”

Meanwhile, Democrats are considering the option of forcing a CR vote by a discharge petition.

“Their CR would continue funding at 2023 levels set under Speaker Nancy Pelosi,” according to the Daily Mail. “They would need a handful of Republicans to get on board, and a number have already said they would do so to avoid a shutdown.”

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Melissa Fine is the former executive editor of Casino Player, Strictly Slots, and Poker
Digest magazines. She is a UCLA graduate, news junkie, and dedicated Stargate SG-
1 fan. Melissa currently lives with her dog and two cats in a tiny town in the Sierra
Nevada foothills.

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