Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) called Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) a “weak Speaker” Monday as he faces a divided GOP conference unwilling to fully back a continuing resolution proposal.
Spartz, who announced earlier this year that she will not be seeking reelection, took aim at McCarthy and her Republican colleagues in a scathing statement posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. She accused House Republicans of putting politics over discussing spending limits in the House, suggesting that this will be “another worthless Congress.”
“Unfortunately, real leadership takes courage and willingness to fight for the country, not for power and a picture on a wall,” she wrote in the statement. “The Republican House is failing the American people again and pursuing a path of gamesmanship and circus. Neither Republicans nor Democrats have the backbone to challenge the corrupt swamp that is bankrupting our children and grandchildren.”
“It is a shame that our weak Speaker cannot even commit to having a commission to discuss our looming fiscal catastrophe. Our founding fathers would be rolling over in their graves to see how this institution is betraying our Republic for personal political ambitions and our children will be ashamed of another worthless Congress,” she continued.
McCarthy fired back on Monday, saying if Spartz, who is not running for reelection in 2024, “is concerned about fighting stronger, I wish she would’ve run again and not quit.”
“I mean, I’m not quitting, I’m gonna continue to work for the American public,” McCarthy added.
A group of Republicans announced an internal deal for the stopgap bill Sunday night. If approved, it would extend the funding deadline by a month, cut all spending except for the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, and enact a large part of the House GOP’s marquee border bill, H.R. 2.
It has already been met with opposition from enough Republicans that put the proposal in serious jeopardy.
A continuing resolution would need to be approved by Congress to fund the government past Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown.
Mychael Schnell contributed. Updated at 3:18 p.m.