House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy laid into backers of the $1.7 trillion spending package on Friday, criticizing them for forwarding various "left-wing pet projects."
"This is a monstrosity. That is one of the most shameful acts I've ever seen in his body," the California Republican stated on the House floor before a 225-201 vote sent the bill to President Joe Biden's desk.
"The appropriations process has failed the American public, and there's no greater example of the nail in the coffin of the greatest failure of a one-party rule of the House, the Senate, and the presidency," he added.
McCarthy, vying to be speaker next term, then pointed to several projects named after sponsors of the act, including Sens. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt.; and Richard Shelby, R-Ala.; as well as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
"They cared so much about the people that Sen. Leahy gets numerous projects named after himself. ... Shelby gets something named after him, too. Oh, Speaker Pelosi? She gets a couple of things that are named after her because the people are more important than the politics," McCarthy said sarcastically. "Because that's what the people of America want right now."
The omnibus' passage served as a serious defeat for McCarthy's conference, which had attempted to push its Senate counterpart into supporting a short-term resolution until Republicans claim the House next year.
The news also comes after a Monday letter headed by GOP Reps. Chip Roy of Texas and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania pledged to hold up any bills from Republican senators who voted for the omnibus — with McCarthy later backing the maneuver.
But despite the threats, 18 Republican senators voted in favor of the massive 4,000-page bill on Thursday, with nine Republican lawmakers doing the same in the House a day later.
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