President Biden criticized House Republicans for potentially causing a government shutdown if they fail to fund the government. Biden emphasized that funding the government is a fundamental duty of Congress and suggested that if Republicans cannot fulfill this responsibility, they should not be elected. He pointed out that he previously made a deal with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to increase the debt ceiling, but now some conservatives in the House want deeper spending cuts than agreed upon. Biden accused the GOP of reneging on the debt-ceiling agreement and warned that a government shutdown would particularly harm the Black community.
The deadline for passing legislation to fund the government and prevent a shutdown is September 30. However, House Republicans have not reached an agreement among themselves or with the Senate and White House. Biden expressed concern about the potential impact of a shutdown on the Black community, highlighting that important enforcement work against housing discrimination and environmental justice efforts would be halted. He also noted the negative effects on the funding of small businesses. Earlier, Biden’s reelection campaign had criticized House Republicans for aligning with former President Trump’s calls for a shutdown. The campaign argued that Trump’s support for a shutdown demonstrated a lack of concern for the well-being of American families.
In summary, President Biden condemned House Republicans for their potential role in causing a government shutdown if they do not fulfill their responsibility to fund the government. He accused them of going against a previously agreed-upon deal to raise the debt ceiling and warned about the adverse consequences a shutdown would have, particularly for the Black community. With a September 30 deadline looming, House Republicans have not reached an agreement with the Senate and White House. Biden’s reelection campaign also criticized House Republicans for heeding the calls of former President Trump to push for a shutdown, arguing that it disregarded the impact on American families.