US House of Representatives rejected the Republican-led funding bill designed to avoid a federal shutdown on Thursday night with federal agencies running the risk of expiring their funds by nightfall Friday. This heightened tensions for nearly one million federal workers who were placed at the risk of losing their pay checks before Christmas.
Republican Bill Faces Defeat Amid Internal Rebellion
The contentious bill aimed to suspend the debt ceiling for the first two years of President-elect Donald Trump’s tenure in office gathered heavy opposition. Many republicans, known as “debt hawks” turned against their leadership that killed the proposal. More drama was added to it by the fact that legislation was supported by both Elon Musk, the incoming “efficiency czar“, who hailed it as the fiscal fix and Donald Trump, president-elect.
Despite the endorsements, the measure failed to receive the two-thirds support in the House. Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, branded the bill “laughable“ and said it was an “extreme MAGA Republican” agenda. The White House dismissed the plan as a “giveaway for billionaires.”
Shutdown Looms as Bipartisan Support Fails
The rejected bill was a reworked version of a bipartisan package that had been sabotaged earlier in the week over concerns about its rising costs. The failure has heightened the likelihood of a government shutdown, which would close federal agencies and leave an estimated 875,000 workers unpaid during the holidays.
The Republicans are now in a hurry to put forward a trimmed version of the proposal. But House Speaker Mike Johnson is under heavy fire for the way he handled the negotiations, and his leadership position is in jeopardy before the January reelection vote.
Trump and Musk‘s Influence Complicates Efforts
Musk used his massive following on X (formerly Twitter) to criticise the bill and amplify opposition among conservatives. Hours later, Trump joined in, threatening the reelection chances of Republicans considering support for the package and demanding unexpected changes, including a higher debt ceiling or its complete removal.
This surprise move by Trump has split the Republicans and left them bewildered as to which direction to take. Democrats, who have a majority in the Senate, have indicated no interest in the Republicans‘ proposal, insisting instead on their bipartisan package that would keep the government funded until mid-March.
Bipartisan Frustration Over Spending
It exposed fault lines within the party since Republicans failed to secure support for key legislation. The president‘s primary objection to the original bill was that Congress was leaving him to handle the contentious issue of a debt-limit increase rather than addressing it in the proposed text.
The administration of President Joe Biden has expressed its annoyance at the approach of the GOP, urging immediate bipartisan action. “The president supports the bipartisan agreement to keep the government open—not this 11th-hour giveaway for billionaires,” White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre said.
What‘s Next?
A shutdown seems inevitable as there is no apparent resolution in the horizon. The lawmakers need to act quickly to avoid widespread disruptions but the clock is running out.
