Congress scrambles to try to avert looming shutdown

by · KSL.com

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Republicans in Congress are attempting a third plan to prevent a shutdown.
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson's previous plans were derailed by Trump and internal opposition.
  • A shutdown could disrupt services and delay pay for federal workers if unresolved.

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Congress mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday with only hours to spare, after two previous plans were scuttled by President-elect Donald Trump and members of their own party.

Republican Rep. Ralph Norman told reporters that party leaders planned to hold a vote on a third spending bill, though he did not provide details.

Others said they would not try to win over Democrats whose support likely will be needed to extend funding past midnight Friday when it is due to expire.

"We're not working with Democrats," Republican Rep. Nancy Mace said.

Republicans were considering whether to simply extend the deadline for several weeks, according to a source familiar with their discussions. They also were weighing a broader package that would extend funding into March, provide disaster relief, and extend farm and food aid programs due to expire at the end of the year.

"We have a plan," House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters. "We're expecting votes this morning." House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he has been in touch with Johnson but has not seen the latest Republican plan.

It would be the third attempt for Johnson, who saw his first package — a bipartisan deal negotiated with Democrats who control the Senate and the White House — collapse on Wednesday after an online fusillade of criticism by Trump and Elon Musk, his billionaire adviser.

A second package, which paired government funding and disaster aid with Trump's demand to lift the national debt limit, failed to pass the House on Thursday as Democrats and 38 Republicans voted against it.

Democrats accused Johnson of caving to pressure from an unelected billionaire, while Republican opponents said they would not vote for a package that increased government spending and cleared the way for trillions of dollars in increased debt.

Trump, who takes office in one month, overnight ratcheted up his rhetoric, calling for a five-year suspension of the U.S. debt ceiling even after the House rejected a two-year extension.

"Congress must get rid of, or extend out to, perhaps, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling. Without this, we should never make a deal," Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform shortly after 1 a.m.

If Congress does not act, funding for everything from law enforcement to national parks will be disrupted and millions of federal workers will go unpaid. The Transportation Security Administration has warned that travelers during the busy Christmas season could face long lines at airports.

The federal government last shut down for 35 days during Trump's first White House term over a dispute about border security.

Previous fights over the debt ceiling have spooked financial markets, as a government default would send credit shocks around the world. The limit has been suspended under an agreement that technically expires on Jan. 1, though lawmakers likely would not have had to tackle the issue before the spring.

Contributing: Susan Heavey

Photos

The Capitol is seen through a security fence on a day where a potential government shutdown looms during the holidays after a spending bill backed by Donald Trump failed in the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday. Republicans mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday.Kevin Lamarque, Reuters
President-elect Donald Trump is joined by House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Army-Navy football game in Landover, Maryland, Dec. 14. Republicans mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday.Brian Snyder, Reuters
A K9 officer patrols the front of the Capitol on a day where a potential government shutdown looms during the holidays after a spending bill backed by Donald Trump failed in the House on Capitol Hill in Washington, Friday. Republicans mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday.Kevin Lamarque, Reuters
House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks to reporters ahead of a vote to pass the American Relief Act on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday. The legislation failed to pass in a 174-235 vote. Republicans mounted a third attempt to avert a government shutdown on Friday.Anna Rose Layden, Reuters

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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