Headline
House Republican legislators Consent to Most Recent Financing Plan as Government Shutdown Draws Near; Vote Scheduled for Later This Friday Evening
Republican House Members reportedly consented to another funding bill on Friday and scheduled a vote for that night, merely hours before a government shutdown is due to occur, a scenario President-elect Donald Trump expressed indifference towards as long as it happens during President Biden's tenure.
Crucial Details
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., introduced a new bill to temporarily finance the federal government and deliver disaster aid, as reported by the Associated Press. Notably, the plan omits the debt ceiling increase that Trump insisted upon this week.
A vote has been scheduled for Friday evening, mere hours before the shutdown is slated to commence at midnight.
Initially, House Republicans intended to submit separate bills to prevent a shutdown by holding separate votes for such measures. However, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., noted that Johnson had a change of heart after speaking with Hakeem Jeffries and realizing he could obtain Democrat votes to pass the entire legislation as a single bill.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Friday, President-elect Donald Trump suggested he was content with a government shutdown so long as it occurred before his term, stating, “If there is going to be a shutdown of the government, let it begin now, during the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to resolve, but if Republicans can help, they will!”
The House rejected the previous spending bill presented on Thursday with a vote of 235-174. Thirty-eight Republicans joined the Democrats in casting "no" votes.
The bill aimed to maintain government funding until March 14 and defer the debt ceiling for two years. Trump endorsed the bill and urged both parties to support it.
Earlier in the week, Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk condemned a Tuesday funding bill supported by Johnson that never reached a vote. Trump argued it would provide sweetheart provisions for government censors and offer Congress a pay raise while citizens face hardships.
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Main Detractors
Democrats announced their unity in opposing the Thursday bill following a closed-door meeting, according to the Times. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters that the "Musk-Johnson proposal is not serious" and that it was laughable. Musk, who did not author the bill, criticized Democrats for potentially suffering significant losses in the midterms if they reject the bill and a government shutdown ensues.
When Might the Government Shut Down?
If a spending bill fails to pass by midnight on Friday night, a partial government shutdown will ensue. In such a scenario, Medicare application processing could halt, hundreds of thousands of federal employees might be placed on unpaid leave, and the number of active air traffic controllers and TSA agents could decrease, potentially leading to travel delays during the holiday season. However, essential services are expected to continue operating as they have during previous government shutdowns, with power grid maintenance, border protection, and in-hospital medical care remaining operational.
Key Background
Trump's opposition to previous spending proposals stemmed from the debt ceiling, which was not included in the initial bill presented on Tuesday. The president-elect has advocated for suspending or eliminating the debt ceiling, which is adjusted to prevent the U.S. from defaulting on its debt. Numerous fiscally conservative Republicans have opposed raising the debt ceiling, according to The Wall Street Journal, although Trump recently threatened to challenge Republicans who resisted alterations to the debt ceiling, implying primary challenges in the next election. Musk, a major Trump supporter, repeatedly condemned the previous spending bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Wednesday, stating it should not receive approval and was "one of the worst bills ever written."
Side Note
Although Trump has remained silent regarding the Thursday bill's failure to pass, he reiterated his criticism of the debt ceiling in a Truth Social post, stating: "Congress must abolish, or extend the date of, perhaps, 2029, the absurd Debt Ceiling." The president-elect stressed that no deal should be reached without this condition and added, "Remember, the pressure is on whoever is President."
- Despite the Republican House Members consented to another funding bill, President-elect Trump expressed indifference towards a potential government shutdown if it occurs during President Biden's tenure.
- Hakeem Jeffries, the House Minority Leader, criticized the bill introduced by House Speaker Mike Johnson, calling it "not serious" and stating that it was laughable.
- If a spending bill fails to pass by midnight on Friday, a government shutdown could ensue, potentially leading to travel delays during the holiday season due to a decrease in active air traffic controllers and TSA agents.
- Donald Trump suggested he was content with a government shutdown if it occurred before his term, stating, "Let it begin now, during the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’"
- In a previous funding bill, Trump and billionaire ally Elon Musk condemned provisions that they believed provided sweetheart provisions for government censors and offered Congress a pay raise while citizens face hardships.
