"[This] chaotic process is unprecedented and it is also dangerous, attempting to short circuit the 2024 appropriations process [to fund the federal government]," De Lauro told a news conference of House Democratic leaders on Tuesday.
De Lauro said McCarthy agreed to cap spending approved by Congress at 2022 levels, according to reports circulating on Capitol Hill, in order to ensure sufficient support from budget-cutting hawks in his own party's caucus to be elected speaker.
"That is at least a $130 billion [or] 17% cut. [It will] short change veterans' medical care by at least $31 billion [or] 30% below what we just enacted in December," DeLauro said.
The new Republican majority's insistence on holding spending down to 2022 levels and its refusal to increase the legal borrowing limit for the federal government will also result in serious cuts to law enforcement funding across the United States, De Lauro added.
McCarthy managed to scoop the House speakership after four days' worth of back and forth negotiations among some 20 Republican holdouts that initially prevented him taking the gavel from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
The California Republican cleared his first major hurdle late Monday as House speaker when the lower congressional chamber cleared its rules package for the 118th Congress.