US averts government shutdown

Hardline Republican conservatives were furious over House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s pivot to rely on Democratic votes to pass a short-term funding extension, but would not say if they are ready to force a vote to oust him.  

Rep. Ralph Norman wouldn't say if he has confidence in the speaker when pressed by CNN, but he said he is very disappointed by McCarthy.

He would not say if he would vote for a motion to vacate the chair.

Rep. Wesley Hunt said “we cannot continue to kick this can down the road” after the House passed the extension.

Hunt also would not say if he would vote to vacate the chair.

Rep. Lauren Boebert criticized the passage of the short-term stopgap bill, saying that Congress instead needs to pass the 12 annual appropriations bills.

When asked if she has confidence in McCarthy, Boebert said, “that’s a big question."

“That isn’t what we’re talking about right now,” she said about possibly ousting the speaker. “My focus is on getting the federal government funded as we ought to.”

Rep. Troy Nehls told CNN it’s “shameful” that the House passed a 45-day stopgap bill with Democratic votes.

When asked what he would do if there’s a vote to oust McCarthy, Nehls argued there is no other person who could get the support needed to serve as speaker.

The last-minute government funding legislation passed by the House on Saturday includes a special measure to keep the Federal Aviation Administration operational. 

The FAA is facing a double-barrel threat to its operations: not only the shutdown, but also the expiration of its authority including taxing and spending. A key FAA fund receives tax proceeds from flights and fuel, and that money is spent on FAA and airport improvements, including measures to avoid runway close-calls.

The top Republican and Democrat on the House committee overseeing the FAA said the three-month extension will bridge the gap to a longer FAA reauthorization. The House passed such a bill over the summer, but negotiations are deadlocked in the Senate. 

As developments on Capitol Hill took an unexpected turn Saturday — with the House passing a short-term bill aimed at averting a government shutdown — Biden administration officials remained in close touch with lawmakers in both parties, officials familiar with the matter tell CNN.

That included direct conversations with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

As the speaker deliberated over putting a short-term stopgap measure on the House floor for a vote, White House Director of Legislative Affairs Shuwanza Goff and senior adviser Steve Ricchetti were in contact with McCarthy, the officials said.

Those conversations are continuing now, CNN is told, as McCarthy’s political future now remains up in the air.

White House officials are continuing to monitor movements on the Hill closely, with the ball now in the Senate’s court. Chief of Staff Jeff Zients and Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young are among those who have also been involved in the adminstration's efforts.

As much as the Biden White House understands that the government funding saga is not over until the bill moves successfully through the Senate, for now, they are pointing to what happened so far today as an illustration that all parties involved except for House Republicans — in other words, Senate Republicans, House Democrats and Senate Democrats — ended up holding their line, the officials said.

New York Rep. Jamaal Bowman attempted to explain himself to reporters this afternoon after meeting with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries over a fire alarm incident, saying he thought the alarm would open a door. 

“I was trying to get to a door. I thought the alarm would open the door and I pulled the fire alarm to open the door by accident,” he told reporters.

He said that accusations from the other side of the aisle that he purposely pulled the alarm are “complete BS.” 

Bowman met with Jeffries about the incident shortly after the stopgap measure passed the House. He said Jeffries tone was “supportive” and “he understood that was a mistake.” 

Bowman laughed loudly when asked about draft resolutions from GOP colleagues to expel him for the incident. “Oh, my goodness. I mean, listen, again, they're gonna do what they do. This is what they do,” he said.

The incident was first revealed by House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil.

“Rep Jamal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning. An investigation into why it was pulled is underway,” Steil said in a statement.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the House ethics committee should look into it.

GOP Rep. Lisa McClain told CNN that she is circulating a resolution to censure Bowman. 

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin says the Senate is expected to vote to accept the House's stopgap funding bill, likely in about an hour.

Manchin made the remark while leaving a Democratic caucus meeting. 

Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois, the lone Democrat who voted against the stopgap bill to keep the government open, railed against the decision to not include aid to Ukraine.

"We got 45 days to fix it," he added. "I don't see how the dynamics change in 45 days."

The House has passed a 45-day short term spending resolution, which includes natural disaster aid but not additional funding for Ukraine or border security.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy announced the House would vote on the measure Saturday after morning meetings, just hours before the midnight deadline to avert a government shutdown.

Here's what you should know to get up to speed:

Rep. Jamaal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in the Cannon House Office Building on Saturday morning, shortly before the House was scheduled to vote on a government funding bill.

The New York Democrat says it was an accident, but Republican leadership is calling for an ethics investigation.

The incident was first revealed by House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil.

“Rep Jamal Bowman pulled a fire alarm in Cannon this morning. An investigation into why it was pulled is underway,” Steil said in a statement.

Bowman’s office said in a statement that the incident was an "accident."

“Congressman Bowman did not realize he would trigger a building alarm as he was rushing to make an urgent vote. The Congressman regrets any confusion," his office said.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the House ethics committee should look into the incident.

"I think ethics should look at this, but this is serious," McCarthy said in response to a reporter's question following the vote.

He added that he will have a discussion with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries regarding the incident.

Following McCarthy's remarks, GOP Rep. Lisa McClain told CNN that she is circulating a resolution to censure Bowman over the incident. She said she already has co-sponsors and it is being sent to her legislative counsel for review.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries celebrated the passing of the House stopgap spending bill that could avert a government shutdown hours before the deadline.

While Kevin McCarthy faced opposition from the hardline members of his Republican party, the house speaker secured broad support from Democrats.

"It was a victory for the American people and a complete and total surrender by right-wing extremists, who throughout the year have tried to hijack the Congress," Jeffries added.

The bill must now pass the Senate, which is narrowly controlled by Democrats.