Former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R) slammed the members of his own party for failing to reach a consensus on a plan to fund the government by October 1, and avoid a shutdown.
“It’s nihilism, is what it is,” Ryan said at an event in Wisconsin. “We look like fools. We look like we can’t govern.”
House Republicans voted to advance four spending bills on Tuesday, but they do nothing to avert a possible government shutdown at the end of the month.
The House tried to advance a defense spending bill last week but it was blocked twice by Republican hardliners who wanted more cuts. These far-right lawmakers also oppose a continuing resolution to extend government funding as negotiations continue.
Ryan, who was speaker of the House during the record 34-day long shutdown in 2018, said some lawmakers may feel that a shutdown is in their best interest.
“There are a bunch of people who I think feel this is in their interest. So I fear that is going to happen,” Ryan said.
