House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., is telling his Republican colleagues to vote against a continuing resolution to fund the government unless Democrats and President Joe Biden pony up to secure the southern border.
"President Biden is asking for a government funding bill that simply kicks the can to an unaccountable lame-duck Congress that does nothing to actually address the nation's problems — especially the crisis at our southern border," McCarthy wrote Tuesday in a statement posted to Twitter. "Under Biden and Pelosi there have been more than 3.5 million illegal border crossings — more than the entire population of Chicago.
"Democrats' open border policies have led to an unprecedented crisis, and they have no plan to secure the border.
"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."
The fiscal year ends Oct. 1 and passing a budget in Congress has proved difficult in recent years. The continuing resolution (C.R.) maintains last year's spending limits and keeps the government running, but there have been government shutdowns in the past when partisan divides refuse to pass a new C.R.
The talks for funding the government currently center around passing a temporary C.R. until after the midterm elections, when Congress can address the appropriations again in December.
Former President Donald Trump has blasted Republicans, namely Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., for not using a government shutdown as leverage in talks for a new agreement on appropriations.
The border crisis has bubbled to the forefront of the midterm election cycle as Republicans have sought to pin down Biden and Democrats on their open border and sanctuary city policies.