House Republicans race to find a Trump-backed path to avoid government shutdown

House Republicans race to find a Trump-backed path to avoid government shutdown


U.S. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA), and U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) listen during a Hanukkah reception at the U.S. Capitol Building on December 17, 2024 in Washington, DC. 

Anna Moneymaker | Getty Images

WASHINGTON — House Republican leaders are running out of time to avoid a partial government shutdown late Friday night, after President-elect Donald Trump and his allies sunk a compromise bill to fund the government through March.

The continuing resolution unveiled late Tuesday night appeared early on as though it would need Democratic votes to pass the narrowly divided House, after hardline conservatives balked at the price tag and several provisions of the bill, which included a pay bump for members of Congress.

But Trump’s formal opposition to the bill late Wednesday came only after billionaire GOP mega-donor Elon Musk spent the day railing against the bill, gradually making it politically impossible for much of the House Republican conference to support it.

The very public collapse of the massive, negotiated bill has also put House Speaker Mike Johnson’s standing among his conference in jeopardy. The Louisiana Republican insisted on including several major spending initiatives in the bill, designed in part to win the necessary Democratic support in the Senate the bill will need to become law.

Rather than simply demanding a lower price tag, Trump surprised many Republicans Wednesday by demanding that any bill to fund the government must also raise the debt ceiling.

Read more CNBC politics coverage

The debt ceiling has become a recurring, bitter debate in Washington every few years, and one that Trump is eager to avoid during the start of his second term in office.

“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch,” Trump said in a statement Wednesday announcing his opposition to Johnson’s continuing resolution.

“If Democrats won’t cooperate on the debt ceiling now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate now. And we should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.”

This is a developing story, please check back for updates.



Source

5 things to know before the stock market opens Friday
Politics

5 things to know before the stock market opens Friday

Here are the most important news items that investors need to start their trading day: 1. Green Christmas A Christmas tree stands in front of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), on the day U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is expected to ring the opening bell at NYSE to celebrate being named Time magazine’s ‘Person of […]

Read More
German president dissolves parliament for Feb. 23 snap elections
Politics

German president dissolves parliament for Feb. 23 snap elections

Members of the Bundestag debate before passing a resolution on Nov. 30, 2022 in Berlin, Germany.  Sean Gallup | Getty Images News | Getty Images President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on Friday dissolved Germany’s lower house of parliament to pave the way for snap elections on Feb. 23 following the collapse of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-way coalition. […]

Read More
Here’s why business leaders are spending big on Trump’s inaugural committee
Politics

Here’s why business leaders are spending big on Trump’s inaugural committee

Republican presidential nominee, former U.S. President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Chip Somodevilla | Getty Images Top CEOs and their companies are pledging to donate millions of dollars to President-elect Donald Trump’s inaugural committee, as […]

Read More