A spending bill endorsed by Donald Trump failed in the US House of Representatives on Thursday, as a significant number of Republicans opposed the president-elect, leaving no definite strategy to prevent a looming government shutdown that could interfere with Christmas travel.
The outcome revealed deep divisions within Trump’s Republican Party that may reemerge next year when they assume control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.
Trump urged lawmakers to resolve pending issues before he takes office on January 20, but members of his party resisted a bill that would raise spending and enable a strategy that could add trillions to the already $36 trillion federal debt.
“I am absolutely sickened by a party that campaigns on fiscal responsibility and has the temerity to go to the American people and say you think this is fiscally responsible,” stated Republican Representative Chip Roy, one of the 38 Republicans who voted against the bill.
The proposal was defeated by a 174-235 vote shortly after it was quickly put together by Republican leaders in response to Trump’s demands.
An earlier bipartisan agreement was discarded after opposition from Trump and Elon Musk, the wealthiest individual in the world, surfaced on Wednesday.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson offered no specifics when questioned about future steps following the vote’s failure. “We will come up with another solution,” he remarked.
Federal funding is set to run out by midnight on Friday. Without an extension, the US government will initiate a partial shutdown affecting everything from border security to national parks, and will halt paychecks for over 2 million federal employees.
The US Transportation Security Administration alerted that the impending holiday season might see extended lines at airports due to the shutdown.
“Congress must get rid of, or extend out to, perhaps, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling. Without this, we should never make a deal,” Trump declared on Truth Social shortly after the bill’s defeat.
The failed bill was very similar to the prior version, which Musk and Trump criticized as a reckless handout to Democrats.
It aimed to extend government funding until March, provide $100 billion for disaster relief, and suspend the debt limit. Republicans omitted some provisions from the original proposal, such as pay raises for lawmakers and new regulations for pharmacy benefit managers.
At Trump’s urging, the revised bill also proposed suspending the national debt limit for two years, a move that would simplify the enactment of substantial tax cuts he has proposed.
Before the vote, Johnson told reporters that the package would prevent disruptions, resolve loose ends, and facilitate significant spending cuts by lawmakers when Trump begins his term next year.
“Government is too big, it does too many things, and it does few things well,” he said.
Teeing Up Tax Cut
Democrats criticized the bill as a facade for a tax cut that would excessively benefit wealthy individuals like Musk, while burdening the nation with massive additional debt.
“How dare you lecture America about fiscal responsibility, ever?” House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries argued during the floor debate.
Even if the House had passed the bill, it was unlikely to succeed in the Senate, currently under Democratic control. The White House stated that Democratic President Joe Biden opposed the bill.
Previous debates over the debt ceiling have alarmed financial markets, as a default by the US government could trigger global credit disruptions.
The suspension of the debt limit, under a current agreement, technically ends on January 1, although it’s not expected to be addressed until spring.
Upon returning to office, Trump plans to implement tax reductions that could decrease government revenues by $8 trillion over the next decade, potentially escalating the debt without corresponding cuts in spending.
He has committed to not cutting retirement and health benefits for seniors, which represent a significant portion of the budget and are expected to grow substantially in the future.
