Frost blasts McCarthy over looming government shutdown 'circus' and House Freedom Caucus fight

WASHINGTON−Rep. Maxwell Frost, the youngest member of Congress, railed against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., Thursday ahead of a looming government shutdown.

"America, in 15 days from now, when our country comes to a halt, remember who did this to you: Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the extremist House Republicans, who care more about themselves and their politics than you," Frost, D-Fla., said during a speech on the House floor.

Unless Congress can pass several contentious spending bills by the end of the month, all non-essential federal agencies will stop working, putting thousands of Americans temporarily out of a job and many government services on hold. Lawmakers' other option is a stopgap measure known as a continuing resolution.

But it is still unclear if McCarthy has enough votes for even this interim measure. Members of the House Freedom Caucus, including Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., have threatened a shutdown and McCarthy's speakership over a continuing resolution.

Frost on Thursday called out the ultraconservative caucus and the speaker for failing to pass legislation amid the conflict.

"The American people are getting a front row seat at the circus that Speaker Kevin McCarthy and extremists in the Republican party are unleashing on our country," Frost said.

The freshman representative also criticized McCarthy and Republicans for opening an impeachment inquiry this week into President Joe Biden, over alleged business dealings with his recently indicted son Hunter Biden.

"The cherry on top of all of this is that instead of getting to work to fund the government, they're trying to impeach Hunter Biden I think, which − spoiler alert − is not the president of the United States," Frost said.