ANALYSIS: Will Democrats Use Mechanism to Go Around McCarthy and Prevent a Government Shutdown?

With the U.S. government on the verge of shutting down on Sept. 30, House Democrats could force the passing of a budget via a discharge petition.

The U.S. Capitol building in Washington on Aug. 18, 2023. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

With the U.S. government on the verge of shutting down on Sept. 30, House Democrats could use a mechanism to go around House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), who is facing resistance from the hard-line conservative Freedom Caucus.

Democrats who spoke to The Epoch Times didn’t rule out using the discharge petition, which allows 218 House members, a simple majority, to force a vote on legislation, given that the GOP controls the lower congressional chamber by only a slim margin.