House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., on Sunday defended President Donald Trump as far more "reasonable" than Democrats in the contentious talks over border wall funding that led to the partial government shutdown, offering numerous plans that were nixed.
In remarks on NBC News’ “Meet The Press,” McCarthy declared he’s ready to offer legislation that will cut off pay to members of Congress in any future shutdown.
“The president is the only one who has been reasonable in these negotiations,” McCarthy said. “I have been in every single meeting. I watched him…. This president is the one who at the [2018] State of The Union [address] went further on immigration than I have heard from a president… It was the president that offered four different plans.”
“It was [House] Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi [D-Calif.] who said, ‘I won't talk about anything,’” he added. “We have 35 days of Speaker Pelosi not negotiating. The president finally said, this is too much. If you say you will do something else, I will open it up so the federal workers will be paid. Let's see where you will go in three weeks.”
McCarthy didn’t elaborate on the four proposals from the president. But on Jan. 19, Trump called for $5.7 billion to pay for steel barriers on the southern border and other security enhancements, in exchange for three years’ protection from deportation for some undocumented immigrants. Democrats rejected the plan.
McCarthy said withholding salary to members of Congress is one way to make sure there’ll never be a government shutdown again.
“You want to know how you will never have a shutdown again? Let's not pay the members of congress and senate. …That's the amendment I would offer,” he said. “This only harms others.”
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