McCarthy Faces Fresh Challenge Even Bigger Than Debt Ceiling: Preventing A Government Shutdown

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is facing a new challenge this week: preventing a government shutdown while avoiding a revolt within his own party. This comes after his recent successful effort to raise the debt ceiling.

What Happened: McCarthy is fresh from a successful effort to raise the debt ceiling but now faces a tougher challenge: preventing a government shutdown without sparking an all-out revolt within his own Republican conference, The Hill reports.

The GOP conference is sharply divided in its approach to 2024 spending, with conservative hard-liners demanding deep cuts, back to 2022 levels, in defiance of the deal McCarthy cut with President Biden earlier in the month.

The dynamics set the stage for a punishing July for McCarthy and GOP leaders, who are racing to win over the conservative holdouts and move the spending bills with just a razor-thin majority that allows scant room for defections, according to the Hill.

The conservative hardliners, who felt burned by McCarthy's handling of the debt-ceiling package, are now vowing to use their considerable leverage to force the Speaker to hold a tougher line in the spending debate. If the government shuts down in the process, they say that's a price they're willing to pay.

See Also: Kevin McCarthy Dismisses Trump’s 2024 Chances But Quickly Backpedals: Where Does Mitch McConnell Stand?

Why It Matters: The potential government shutdown and the internal GOP revolt highlight the tenuous grip McCarthy has on his conference and increase the odds of a government shutdown later in the year. This comes at a time when McCarthy is trying to repair his relationship with former President Trump after questioning the strength of the ex-president’s candidacy.

McCarthy’s challenge also comes after President Biden signed a bill that extends the debt ceiling for two years, preventing an economically damaging debt default.

The Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023, negotiated with McCarthy, sets a two-year federal spending limit until January 1, 2025, and postpones the debt ceiling until after the 2024 election.

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