With the end of the fiscal year quickly approaching, and little progress made between Democrats and Republicans for an agreement on government funding, a key member of the House Freedom Caucus is forecasting an end result of House GOP failing to meet its goals.
On Wednesday, Rep. Mark Meadows, who serves as the Freedom Caucus chairman, spoke to reporters on Capitol Hill. While Meadows stressed the importance of needing to pass some kind of funding measure for the government, he remained skeptical regarding Republicans achieving their preferred results.
Meadows, who is considered to be one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies on the Hill, stated that a proposed conservative package of federal funding cuts could, without the backing of the Democratic party, very likely fail. He went on to suggest that the state of affairs has become so polarized, with both parties so far apart on the issue, a bipartisan agreement is unlikely anytime soon.
In response to the Freedom Caucus leader’s comment, fellow GOP lawmakers, such as Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), have struck a more optimistic tone. In contrast to Meadows’ outlook, Brooks has suggested that, with enough negotiation and dedication, the Republicans can reach a compromise that is acceptable to both sides.
It’s difficult to predict at this point in time if the Republicans will ultimately come to an agreement, or if the House of Representatives will ultimately have to accept the Democrats’ position in order to avoid a government shutdown. To add to the ambiguity, President Trump has seemed to contradict himself on the issue at different times.
The president’s proposed increase of military spending, along with legislation for a border wall along the Mexico-U.S. border, have both been contested heavily; the latter drawing criticism from both Democrats and Republicans alike.
Until both parties are able to come to a mutual understanding, both sides will remain in a state of limbo. With the end of the 2017-2018 fiscal year quickly drawing near, it’s necessary for the two to reach an agreement if they wish to avert a potential government shutdown. Hopefully, the current impasse in negotiations will be resolved swiftly, and the nation will have a better picture of what the outcome will be.