Protesters storm Kevin McCarthy's office over HIV bill, get dragged out by cops

US Capitol Police says they arrested seven people inside McCArthy's office

McCarthy juggles spending fight and potential impeachment

FOX News senior national correspondent Rich Edson has the latest on the congressional fights on 'Special Report.'

Protesters stormed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's Congressional office on Tuesday, demanding that he and other House Republicans re-up funding for an AIDs relief program.

Protesters with Housing Works pressed their way into McCarthy's office and refused to move until Capitol Hill Police arrived and arrested them. The group was demanding a 5-year reauthorization of the PEPFAR global AIDs relief program, which they say has saved "25 million lives."

Images of the incident show protesters sitting on the floor of McCarthy's office and linking arms as bemused staffers remain at their posts.

"We’re proud to use nonviolent civil disobedience, among other tactics, to demand that our government take action to end AIDS," the group wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADERS WANT TO LAUNCH BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY NEXT MONTH, SOURCES SAY

protesters storm kevin mccarthys office over hiv bill get dragged out by cops

Protesters with Housing Works stormed House Speaker Kevin McCarthy's office to demand he re-up funding for AIDs relief. (Housing Works on X) (Housing Works on X)

McCarthy's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the incident, but Capitol Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that they arrested seven individuals.

MCCARTHY 'DANGLING' BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY TO DELAY RECKONING OVER SPENDING, SOME CONSERVATIVES SAY

"This morning, multiple individuals were demonstrating inside a House Office Building. After the demonstrators refused to cease demonstrating, USCP then arrested the 4 males and 3 females for Unlawful Entry," Capitol Police said in a statement.

protesters storm kevin mccarthys office over hiv bill get dragged out by cops

McCarthy's office did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the incident. Capitol Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that they arrested seven individuals, however. (Getty Images)

Congress has until September 30 to re-up the law guaranteeing funding for the PEPFAR program, but agreement on the issue appears unlikely. The law had previously been renewed on a five-year rolling basis.

The program will still continue if Congress does not renew the law, but its funding will become subject to the annual budget battle.

MCCARTHY SAYS BIDEN IMPEACHMENT INQUIRY WOULD NEED HOUSE VOTE, IN DEPARTURE FROM PELOSI AND DEMOCRATS

McCarthy is already facing an impending battle over the annual budget as House lawmakers return to the Capitol for the first time in six weeks on Tuesday. Leaders in the House and Senate have both acknowledged that a deal must be struck on a stopgap funding bill, called a continuing resolution, to give both sides more time to reach an agreement.

protesters storm kevin mccarthys office over hiv bill get dragged out by cops

McCarthy is already facing the impending battle over the annual budget as House lawmakers return to the Capitol for the first time in six weeks on Tuesday. (Fox News Photo/Joshua Comins)

If no deal is reached by Sept. 30, lawmakers risk sending the government into a partial shutdown.

Fox News Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.

Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., or on Twitter: @Hagstrom_Anders.

Authored by Anders Hagstrom via FoxNews September 12th 2023