House Republicans Finally Admit Defeat on Their Doomed Spending Bill Strategy

Some Republicans would rather “get nothing than something,” according to Rep. Dan Crenshaw.

House Rules Committee Chairman Tom Cole
House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., listens during a Rules Committee hearing. J. Scott Applewhite/AP

In a parallel universe, House Republicans are passing their spending bills this week, teeing up talks with the Senate and aiming to finish their work before a Sept. 30 government funding deadline.

In our dimension, House Republicans aren’t even at the Capitol this week.

After failing to rally around the partisan starting point funding bills they expected to pass before leaving for the August break, Republicans returned to their districts for recess a week early on Thursday.