The US House of Representatives on Thursday rejected a Republican-led spending bill that would have provided a temporary solution to avert a looming government shutdown, leaving lawmakers scrambling as a Friday midnight deadline nears.
The bill, which aimed to extend government funding and suspend the national debt ceiling, failed by a vote of 174-235. The rejection comes just one day before the federal government is set to run out of cash, threatening widespread disruptions, including potential delays in holiday travel.
Despite strong backing from President-elect Donald Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk, the bill faltered due to significant opposition within the Republican ranks. A total of 38 Republicans voted against the measure, aligning with almost all Democrats, who rejected the proposal in protest.
With the government facing shutdown, federal operations could grind to a halt, affecting everything from national parks to border enforcement, and leading to pay freezes for over 2 million federal workers. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) also warned that air travel during the holiday season could be impacted by longer-than-usual wait times at airports.
The bill, which resembled a previous version that Trump and Musk had criticized, included provisions to fund the government until March, when Trump will officially take office, and Republicans will control both chambers of Congress. It also proposed $100 billion in disaster relief and aimed to lift the debt ceiling for two years.
However, the bill’s supporters, including Trump, viewed it as a necessary step to ease the path for future tax cuts and spending decisions. Trump had pushed for the suspension of the debt ceiling, arguing that it would help lay the groundwork for significant tax reductions, including a promised $8 trillion tax cut. Critics, however, argued that this would further exacerbate the national debt, currently at $36 trillion.
Republicans divided, Democrats oppose
Ahead of the vote, both Republican and Democratic leaders warned that the other party would bear responsibility for a potential shutdown. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, speaking before the vote, claimed the bill was vital for preventing a shutdown and for future spending cuts. “Government is too big, it does too many things, and it does few things well,” Johnson remarked.
However, the bill faced fierce opposition from Democrats, who criticized it as a giveaway to wealthy individuals like Musk, without addressing critical spending issues. House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it “a cover for a budget-busting tax cut” that would largely benefit the rich, adding to the nation’s growing debt. “How dare you lecture America about fiscal responsibility?” he said during the floor debate.
Many Republicans also voiced concerns over the bill’s implications for the national debt, with Representative Chip Roy expressing his frustration: “I am absolutely sickened by the party that campaigns on fiscal responsibility,” he said.
Even if the bill had passed the House, it faced significant challenges in the Senate, where Democrats hold the majority. The White House reiterated that President Joe Biden did not support the measure, further complicating any potential resolution.
A shifting political landscape
The failure of the spending bill also places a spotlight on the ongoing political instability within the Republican Party. Speaker Mike Johnson, who ascended to the role last year after a leadership shake-up that ousted former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, has struggled to unite his party around key issues. In the face of such divisions, Johnson had turned to Democrats for support on previous votes, but his efforts fell short this time.
With the new year approaching and Trump’s inauguration set for January 20, Republicans face mounting pressure to come to a resolution. The government shutdown, if it proceeds, could have serious political and economic consequences, particularly as the country enters the holiday season. Meanwhile, Trump’s promise of sweeping tax cuts, without significant cuts to entitlement programs, poses a long-term challenge for fiscal responsibility.
The political turmoil surrounding the government funding crisis could also undermine Johnson’s leadership, with some Republicans suggesting they may not support him as speaker when Congress reconvenes in January. This threat could set the stage for another leadership battle in the weeks leading up to Trump’s return to office.