Speaker McCarthy Warns Government Shutdown Would ‘Give Strength’ to Democrats

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., warned on Sunday that a government shutdown would do nothing but benefit Democrats.

"A shutdown would only give strength to Democrats," McCarthy said during an interview on Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures."

"It would give the power to Biden — it wouldn't pay our troops, it wouldn't pay our border agents," the embattled House speaker, who is facing a threat from his right flank to expel him as leader, added.

The House speaker said he felt lawmakers made "good progress" this weekend and said the House plans to vote on military spending this week.

Members of Congress must pass a short-term stopgap measure or negotiate its 12 annual spending bills ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline to avoid a government shutdown.