WASHINGTON − Republican lawmakers said they negotiated an 11th-hour proposal to keep the government funded and potentially avoid a major shutdown over the holidays, but the bid was quickly rejected by top Democrats.
House Republican leaders announced Thursday afternoon that they had reached an agreement on a continuing resolution, or a temporary measure to keep the government’s doors open, to extend funding through March.
President-elect Donald Trump endorsed the plan, which would include $100 billion for relief efforts after Hurricanes Helene and Milton devastated parts of the South earlier this year, along with funding for other disasters.
Current government funding is set to expire on Friday night. A shutdown would furlough thousands of federal employees and endanger other resources.
But Republican leaders will need Democratic support to pass any deal, given the left controls the Senate. The GOP also has a razor-thin majority in the House, and several Republican lawmakers have threatened to buck their party and vote no.
But Democrats do not appear to want to play ball, after Johnson rejected their original bipartisan plan. Lawmakers were left scrambling Wednesday after Congress’ original deal came under conservative fire and was eventually sent to an early grave by Trump and allies.
“I’m not simply a no. I’m a hell no,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., reportedly told colleagues in a meeting of Democrats on Thursday afternoon.
“I’m prepared to stay until hell freezes over to get what we deserve,” said Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
Trump torpedoes Congress deal:President-elect rejected a bipartisan plan to avoid a government shutdown, sets up debt ceiling battle
After hours of closed-door meetings on Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., came out with a revised version of the original funding extension, slashing several of the add-ons that had raised GOP hackles in the first place, including a pay raise for lawmakers.
Trump came out in support of the new deal as details began to leak ahead of Johnson’s official announcement.
“All Republicans, and even the Democrats, should do what is best for our Country, and vote “YES” for this Bill, TONIGHT!” Trump wrote in a social media post.
The House is set to vote on the latest bill Thursday evening. Once it passes the lower chamber, the Senate, which Democrats control, will have a chance to weigh in.
The last time there was a government shutdown in the U.S. was also a holiday season shutdown, as well as the longest shutdown in history. Under the first Trump administration, it lasted 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019.
Contributing: Riley Beggin, Sudiksha Kochi
This story was updated with new information.
