Biden rebukes GOP on shutdown, demands separate bill to fund Ukraine

President Biden lambasted Republicans for “bringing us to the brink” — while simultaneously hailing prevention of a government shutdown with passage of a short-term funding bill.

The president bemoaned the lack of supplemental aid for Ukraine in the spending deal, and urged Congress to take up a separate bill to funnel more support to the war-torn nation.

“Quite frankly, I’m sick and tired — I’m sick and tired — of the brinksmanship and so are the American people,” Biden lamented in a brief address on the spending patch.

After weeks of a deadlock with his own GOP caucus, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) brought up a stopgap continuing resolution (CR) to keep the government’s lights on until Nov. 17.

Biden signed the bill Saturday after Democrats helped carry it through the House and Senate. The bill featured $16 billion in domestic disaster relief funds, but nothing for Ukraine.

On Sunday, McCarthy indicated he is amenable to passing a stand-alone bill to address Ukraine — but also wants bolstered border security measures.

“We have time, not much time, and there’s an overwhelming sense of urgency,” Biden said when asked about when funds would run dry. “I can reassure [Ukraine], look at me, we’re going to get it done.”

“I hope this experience for the speaker has been one of personal revelation. I’m not being facetious,” Biden added.

GOP hardliners like Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), who is planning this week to push an ouster of McCarthy, have fumed over the prospect of the speaker bringing up Ukraine funding for a vote.

Biden also demurred on whether he believes House Democrats should bail McCarthy out when Gaetz pushes to topple him, saying: I’ll leave that to the leadership in the House of the Senate.”

Congress still needs to fully fund the government for fiscal year 2024, which began Sunday. This is done through 12 appropriations bills. So far none have cleared both chambers.

The GOP-led House has passed four, but has pursued lower top-line funding levels than the Democrat-controlled Senate, which has closer to the $1.59 trillion discretionary level agreed upon during a debt ceiling row in May.

So far, the Senate hasn’t yet passed any of its appropriations bills.

“It’s time to end governing by crisis and keep your word when you give it,” Biden chided.

“[In] the last few days and weeks, extreme MAGA Republicans tried to walk away from that deal, voting for deep, drastic spending cuts,” Biden railed. “They failed again. And we stop them. But I’m under no illusions that they’ll be back again.”

Biden was referencing some of the CR iterations McCarthy contemplated that would have further slashed spending.

But facing the intransigence of GOP renegades, McCarthy ultimately opted for a “clean” CR to keep the government’s lights on instead.

Still Biden stressed that “it’s good news” Congress forestalled a government shutdown, “saving millions of Americans needless pain.”

The 80-year-old president also issued a clarion call to Congress to hurry up, “stop the games,” and prevent a shutdown before the November deadline, which will come six days before Thanksgiving.

“I strongly urge my Republican friends in Congress not to wait. Don’t waste time as you did all summer. Pass a year long budget agreement [and] honor the deal we made a few months ago,” he said.