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Speaker Kevin McCarthy Accuses Democrats of Prioritizing Politics Over Hunger

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  Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, November 12th 2025 at 22:44 GMT by Fox News

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Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s “Politics Over Hunger” Rants After House Reopens the Government

When the House of Representatives voted last week to reopen the federal government after a brief shutdown, the political spotlight swung back onto Capitol Hill. While the vote itself marked the end of a standoff over the 2024 budget, it also set the stage for Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s scathing remarks about Democratic leadership. In a statement that ran in several Fox News outlets, McCarthy accused Democrats of choosing partisan politics over the welfare of “hungry Americans.” The comment has already ignited a flurry of reactions—from critics who see it as a diversion from the real costs of the shutdown, to supporters who applaud the speaker’s emphasis on food insecurity.

The Vote That Ended the Shutdown

The House, which is currently 20‑plus seats short of the 218‑vote threshold needed to override a presidential veto, approved a short‑term appropriations bill on a 214‑0 vote. The measure, known formally as the “Temporary Funding for the Fiscal Year 2025,” provided about $200 billion in emergency funding that covers the federal government through August 31, 2025. The bill was designed to bring the government out of a three‑day shutdown that began on August 22, when the House and Senate failed to agree on a funding resolution that could have prevented the halt of operations.

The shutdown had a dramatic impact on federal agencies. The Department of Agriculture, for example, temporarily suspended SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits and delayed processing of food‑bank requests. The Department of Education stopped processing student‑aid applications, while the U.S. Forest Service halted many conservation projects. McCarthy, who has been in the spotlight for his attempts to secure the funding he believes is essential for the next phase of the “America First” agenda, has long warned that the shutdown would hurt vulnerable populations, especially children and seniors.

McCarthy’s “Politics vs. Hunger” Commentary

In his statement, McCarthy used the phrase “the Democrats are choosing politics over hungry Americans” to describe how he believed the opposition was handling the funding negotiations. He said that while the administration was “focused on a political showdown,” the country was “running out of food and other essential services.”

“Because the Democrats are playing a game of politics, we’re not seeing the impact on the most vulnerable in this country,” McCarthy told Fox News on a call with reporters. “The hunger crisis is real, and we are the ones who need to fix this, not politics.”

The speech was delivered on the same day the House passed the bill, a move that many analysts view as a strategic attempt to highlight the economic fallout of the shutdown while rallying his caucus for the upcoming budget negotiations. It also serves as a warning to Democrats that they could face backlash from voters who see the shutdown as a moral failing.

Democratic Response

Democrats were quick to push back. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries released a statement that emphasized the importance of bipartisan collaboration and said that “the decision to end the shutdown was made in the best interest of all Americans.” He specifically referenced the “urgent need to maintain services for all—particularly seniors, families, and low‑income households.”

“It is time for Democrats to stop using partisan politics as a shield for voters and start listening to what people need,” Jeffries said. “The federal government’s responsibilities are too great to be reduced to a political point.”

In a separate press release, the House Committee on Appropriations called the funding bill “a necessary step to preserve government services while we continue to negotiate a comprehensive budget.” The committee’s chairman, Rep. Marcy Kaptur, highlighted the importance of protecting SNAP and other food‑assistance programs in the new bill, noting that these programs have helped over 90 million Americans during the shutdown.

Broader Context: Food Insecurity and the Budget

The “hungry Americans” reference is not an empty political slogan. Food insecurity in the United States has risen since the pandemic, and the Department of Agriculture’s National Center for Food and Agricultural Policy estimates that as many as 14.8 million people rely on food assistance programs. The temporary appropriations bill includes $3.8 billion for the Department of Agriculture, which will help maintain food‑bank operations and support farmers’ market programs that provide low‑cost groceries to low‑income families.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services’ funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been a point of contention for years. The current bill provides $4.3 billion for SNAP, a 7 percent increase from the 2023 level. Yet many families in rural areas still face barriers to accessing the benefits, with delays in processing and eligibility criteria cited as major obstacles.

The political tug‑of‑war over the budget has also led to concerns about how much the federal government should spend on programs that help the most vulnerable. Republicans generally advocate for lower spending and tighter fiscal controls, while Democrats argue that investing in health, food, and social security is essential for long‑term economic stability. McCarthy’s comments have therefore become a rallying cry for those who see the shutdown as a political tool used to push fiscal conservatism at the expense of public welfare.

The Implications for the Upcoming 2025 Budget

The House vote to reopen the government was just the first in a series of negotiations that will ultimately shape the federal budget for the fiscal year that begins on October 1. While the temporary bill keeps the government afloat, it does not address the more long‑term issues such as the national debt, defense spending, or Medicare. Republicans are pushing for a “shrink‑the‑spending” approach that would cut back on entitlement programs, while Democrats are advocating for a “grow‑the‑economy” strategy that includes increased spending on infrastructure and social programs.

The “hungry Americans” narrative introduced by McCarthy will likely influence how the House approaches the 2025 budget. If the House and Senate can find a way to incorporate funding for food assistance and other social programs while also meeting Republican demands for lower spending, it could signal a shift toward bipartisan solutions. However, the current partisan divide suggests that any compromise will be difficult to achieve.

Conclusion

Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s comment that Democrats are “choosing politics over hungry Americans” came on the heels of a crucial vote to end a brief but disruptive government shutdown. While the House’s 214‑0 vote ensured that essential federal services would resume, it also highlighted the stark partisan divide over how the country should address hunger and other social needs. The debate over the 2025 budget—particularly how much to spend on programs like SNAP and food‑bank services—will continue to play out in Washington over the coming weeks and months. Whether McCarthy’s remarks will shift the conversation away from politics and toward addressing the needs of the most vulnerable remains to be seen, but the issue is undeniably at the heart of the current legislative crisis.