{"id":5598,"date":"2024-12-20T11:36:33","date_gmt":"2024-12-20T16:36:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=5598"},"modified":"2024-12-21T12:22:24","modified_gmt":"2024-12-21T17:22:24","slug":"can-congress-pass-the-bill-government-shutdown-looms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/?p=5598","title":{"rendered":"Can Congress Pass the Bill? Government Shutdown Looms"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Update:<\/strong> Congress passed a stopgap spending bill to prevent a government shutdown and provide over $100 billion in disaster and farm aid, now awaiting President Biden’s signature. The House passed it 366-34, and the Senate approved it 85-11, extending funding until March 14. Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) navigated GOP divisions and external pressures from figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk to secure its passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bill includes $100 billion for disaster relief, $10 billion for farmers, a one-year farm bill extension, and funding to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. It omits earlier proposals like restrictions on China investments, a congressional pay raise, and a debt-ceiling increase. Despite challenges, Johnson succeeded in averting a shutdown, setting the stage for further budget debates next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

——————————————<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the clock ticks down, Congress finds itself locked in a fierce battle over passing a continuing resolution (CR) to avert a partial government shutdown. This escalating crisis, marked by political brinkmanship and unprecedented external influences, threatens to furlough hundreds of thousands of federal workers and disrupt critical services. The stakes are high, and the political maneuvering has been intense, with key players from both parties and influential figures like Elon Musk shaping the debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The First CR: A Bipartisan Effort Derailed<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Earlier this week, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) introduced a bipartisan CR designed to fund the government through March 14, 2025. This 1,547-page bill included essential provisions such as disaster relief, funding for rural hospitals, and emergency aid for hurricane-stricken areas. It was a comprehensive effort to ensure continuity of government operations. However, the proposal was abruptly torpedoed after public opposition from President-elect Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trump\u2019s criticism of the bill centered on its spending levels and lack of provisions to abolish the debt ceiling, a demand he inserted late in the process. \u201cIf there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration,\u201d Trump declared on Truth Social. He further emphasized, \u201cThis is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!\u201d Musk added fuel to the fire, questioning the legislative process itself. “Has anyone read it? Radical suggestion: FIRST read bill, THEN vote,” Musk posted on X, amplifying skepticism among conservatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) reflected on the failure of the first CR, stating, \u201cIt\u2019s time to go back to the original agreement we had just a few days ago. Our agreement would keep the government open, provide emergency aid, and support critical sectors like rural hospitals and disaster relief.\u201d The rejection of this bipartisan effort highlighted deep divisions within the Republican Party, as well as the growing influence of external actors like Musk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Second Attempt: Trump\u2019s Influence and GOP Division<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A slimmed-down 116-page bill emerged as Plan B, reflecting Trump\u2019s demands. This new proposal included $100 billion for disaster relief and suspended the debt ceiling until 2027. However, it excluded previously bipartisan measures such as 9\/11 healthcare funds and restrictions on investments in China. Despite Trump\u2019s endorsement and claims that it was a \u201cvery good deal,\u201d the bill failed resoundingly in a House vote, 174-235, with over three dozen Republicans joining Democrats in opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) did not mince words when addressing the new proposal. \u201cThe Musk-Johnson proposal is not serious. It\u2019s laughable. Extreme MAGA Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown,\u201d he said. The new bill\u2019s failure not only signaled a lack of unity within the GOP but also raised questions about Speaker Johnson\u2019s ability to lead effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Players and Their Influences<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • President-elect Donald Trump<\/strong>: Leveraging his political capital, Trump has reshaped the debate by inserting demands for debt ceiling abolition and reduced spending. His late-stage demands have frustrated both Democrats and moderate Republicans, with many seeing his interference as a destabilizing force. \u201cWithout this [abolishing the debt ceiling], we should never make a deal,\u201d Trump said, emphasizing his pressure on GOP lawmakers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Elon Musk<\/strong>: The billionaire\u2019s unorthodox foray into politics has disrupted traditional legislative processes. Musk\u2019s objections\u2014including debunked claims about congressional salary increases\u2014galvanized conservative opposition. Rep. Andy Barr (R-Ky.) noted Musk\u2019s influence, saying, \u201cThe people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Speaker Mike Johnson<\/strong>: Struggling to maintain GOP unity, Johnson\u2019s leadership is under fire. His initial bipartisan effort\u2014and subsequent pivot to Trump\u2019s demands\u2014has alienated both moderates and hardliners. The failure of both plans has put his speakership at risk.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Senate Democrats<\/strong>: Schumer and Appropriations Chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.) have steadfastly insisted on returning to the original bipartisan deal. Murray declared, \u201cI\u2019m ready to stay here through Christmas because we\u2019re not going to let Elon Musk run the government.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Consequences of Inaction<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    If no resolution passes by midnight, a partial government shutdown will begin. Critical services, such as Social Security and military operations, would continue, but hundreds of thousands of federal workers would be furloughed. The 2018-2019 shutdown\u2014the longest in U.S. history at 35 days\u2014provides a stark reminder of the economic and social toll such disruptions can impose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) labeled the situation \u201ca Republican shutdown,\u201d urging Johnson to \u201cgrow a spine\u201d and bring the original bipartisan bill to a vote. Meanwhile, Republicans like Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.) acknowledged the difficulty of resolving the standoff. \u201cThings are fluid, it\u2019s going to be fine, but it\u2019s going to take a little while,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What Happens Next?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    The Senate\u2019s options are limited. Passing an interim spending bill without unanimous consent could take days, all but guaranteeing a weekend shutdown. Schumer\u2019s plea for bipartisanship resonates, but whether GOP lawmakers heed it remains uncertain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As of now, federal agencies are preparing for the worst. \u201cThis is a self-made crisis,\u201d lamented Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.), pointing to the cascading effects of political discord. Without a breakthrough, Americans could face a bleak Christmas, with lawmakers returning to the Capitol amid mounting public frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    NP Editor: <\/strong> This is going in the right direction in my opinion. The bill with massive pork was defeated and Congress is finding that it can’t do business and usual, that they will be held accountable. The government may or may not shut down, but if a paradigm shift happens in Congress that changes the culture of spending without consequences, then it will be worth it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Update: Congress passed a stopgap spending bill to prevent a government shutdown and provide over $100 billion in disaster and farm aid, now awaiting President Biden’s signature. The House passed it 366-34, and the Senate approved it 85-11, extending funding until March 14. Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) navigated GOP divisions and external pressures from figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk to secure its passage. The bill includes $100 billion for disaster relief, $10 billion for farmers, a one-year […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10,18,19,22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-finance","category-politics","category-president-biden","category-trump"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/johsonmusksdfg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5598"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5598\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5604,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5598\/revisions\/5604"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/5599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nakedpolitics.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}