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House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled his latest strategy to prevent a government shutdown, making the announcement as he arrived at the Capitol on Friday morning. “We have a plan. We’re expecting votes this morning, so you all stay tuned. We’ve got a plan,” Johnson stated.
With the government facing closure if Congress fails to enact spending legislation by Friday’s end, the situation has become increasingly tense. The House recently dismissed a short-term spending proposal after Republican leaders abandoned a bipartisan compromise that contained Democratic provisions and Big Pharma benefits.
Trump and Musk Shutdown Business As Usual Spending Bill pic.twitter.com/Bly6Dn8zFG
— Eric Deters (@bulllaw) December 19, 2024
The compromise faced significant opposition, with 38 Republicans voting against the rushed, Trump-backed agreement, while nine abstained from voting.
The situation took a dramatic turn when Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance intervened Wednesday afternoon, effectively ending a previous arrangement between House Speaker Johnson and Democrats. The original deal’s support was already waning before Trump stepped in to reshape the discussion, demanding the inclusion of a debt limit increase to resolve the issue before his upcoming administration.
The revised proposal eliminated more than a thousand pages of unnecessary spending and unrelated provisions.
House Freedom Caucus leader Andy Harris (R-MD) expressed willingness to support a straightforward continuing resolution (CR) on Friday morning.
Representative Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL) maintained a firm stance, stating, “We’re not cutting deals with Democrats.” She indicated that an upcoming proposal would closely align with “President Trump’s plan yesterday.”
BREAKING 🚨 38 Republicans Voted ‘NO’ on the CR after Trump told everyone to vote ‘Yes’
SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT AND PRIMARY ALL THE RINO’S
— MAGA Voice (@MAGAVoice) December 20, 2024
President-elect Trump suggested that any potential government shutdown should occur during Biden’s administration rather than his own. “If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!” Trump wrote.
Though Washington insiders have expressed concerns about a potential shutdown’s consequences, historical evidence from the five-week closure in late 2018 suggests minimal economic impact.
