WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 2024 (AP):
The U.S. House of Representatives decisively voted against Trump-Backed Shutdown Proposal funding bill on Thursday night, designed to avert an imminent government shutdown. Federal agencies are set to run out of funding by Friday midnight, potentially leading to a closure over the weekend. This development underscores the political turbulence gripping Washington as the end-of-year deadline looms.
In an emotionally charged session marked by fiery debates, lawmakers failed to secure the two-thirds majority needed to pass the hastily drafted proposal. The bill, backed by President-elect Donald Trump, aimed to fund federal operations and suspend the debt ceiling temporarily. However, the House vote ended in a significant defeat, with 174 lawmakers supporting the measure and 235 opposing it. House Speaker Mike Johnson vowed to push forward with another attempt before the deadline.
Trump’s Plan Faces Bipartisan Rejection
The rejected proposal was part of Trump’s last-minute push to keep the government funded for three more months. It included $100.4 billion in disaster relief funding and extended borrowing authority through January 2027. Trump took to social media to hail the deal as a “success” hours before the vote, but Democrats and even some Republicans refused to rally behind it.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries dismissed the plan as “laughable,” asserting that Democrats would stick to their previous bipartisan agreement with Speaker Johnson. Within Democratic circles, resistance to the Trump-endorsed proposal was palpable, with lawmakers reportedly chanting “Hell, no!” during a closed-door meeting.
The opposition stemmed not just from the sudden demands by Trump but also from the perceived influence of billionaire Elon Musk, a staunch Trump ally, who criticized the earlier bipartisan compromise and urged a more conservative approach. Musk’s intervention stirred controversy, with Democrats accusing Trump of allowing an unelected figure to disrupt governance.
Speaker Johnson in Political Bind
Speaker Mike Johnson found himself in a precarious position, balancing Trump’s demands with the need to maintain bipartisan support. To address Trump’s objections, the new proposal drastically reduced the earlier 1,500-page bill to 116 pages, omitting contentious provisions like a long-overdue pay raise for lawmakers. Despite these changes, the revised plan failed to gain traction.
Trump’s insistence on including a debt ceiling extension in the package further complicated matters. Traditionally a contentious issue requiring months of negotiation, the debt ceiling debate now threatens to overshadow the early days of Trump’s administration. The current debt ceiling is set to expire on January 1, 2025, raising concerns about prolonged gridlock when the new Congress convenes.
Political Fallout
The failed vote reflects broader challenges facing Trump’s return to Washington. His first presidency was marked by the longest government shutdown in U.S. history during the 2018 holiday season, and the latest developments suggest similar struggles ahead. For Johnson, the defeat exposes vulnerabilities as he faces a January 3 vote to retain his position as House Speaker.
Adding to the drama, some of Trump’s allies floated unconventional ideas, including a suggestion to appoint Musk as Speaker—a position not legally restricted to members of Congress. While the notion gained minimal traction, it highlighted the unpredictability of Trump-era politics.
Democrats expressed frustration at the chaos, with House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark criticizing Trump and Musk for prioritizing political maneuvering over governance. “Once again, we find ourselves in unnecessary turmoil,” she remarked, outlining the potential harm of a government shutdown on American families.
Economic and Logistical Implications
The looming shutdown carries significant implications. Federal agencies have already been instructed to prepare for the cessation of operations. Essential services such as military pay, air traffic control, and healthcare for veterans may face disruptions. Meanwhile, funding for critical infrastructure projects, including repairs to Baltimore’s Key Bridge, hangs in the balance.
Republicans remain divided over the strategy. Hardline conservative lawmakers, like Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, opposed the plan for failing to curb federal spending. In a heated floor debate, Roy accused his colleagues of lacking “self-respect” and caving to unsustainable borrowing.
For Democrats, the rejection of the revised package underscores their unwillingness to yield to Trump’s demands without substantial concessions. While some Democrats have previously advocated for reforms to debt ceiling procedures, they appeared unified in rejecting Trump’s approach.
The collapse of this latest funding effort offers a glimpse of the challenges ahead for a Republican-controlled Congress under Trump’s leadership. As lawmakers left a Thursday morning meeting without a resolution, tensions between moderate and hardline factions within the GOP were on full display. Senior Republican appropriator Rep. Steve Womack described the situation as a “trailer” for the dysfunction likely to characterize the next legislative session.
The Biden administration, still overseeing federal operations until Trump’s inauguration, has urged Congress to act swiftly to prevent a shutdown. The White House Office of Management and Budget has already begun contingency planning for a government closure, which could exacerbate economic uncertainty heading into the new year.
With federal funding set to expire in less than 24 hours, the rejection of the Trump-backed funding bill adds urgency to the ongoing crisis. Whether Speaker Johnson can broker a last-minute compromise remains to be seen, but the episode underscores the deep divisions and unpredictability defining Trump’s Washington. As the deadline nears, Americans brace for the impact of yet another political stalemate in the nation’s capital.
