CR blows up on Johnson

Business & Economy

The Big Story

Johnson weighs plan B amid funding backlash

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is weighing an alternative plan to fund the government before the shutdown deadline on Friday after Republicans inside and outside the Capitol slammed the spending package.

The House on Tuesday released a 1,500-page spending package negotiated by congressional leaders that included disaster aid and economic assistance for farmers.

But late Wednesday afternoon, President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance slammed the bipartisan bill and called for a “streamlined” spending stopgap combined with an increase in the debt ceiling.

“Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch. If Democrats won’t cooperate on the debt ceiling now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration?” Trump and Vance said in a statement. “Let’s have this debate now. And we should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.”

They added, “Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025. The only way to do that is with a temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling. Anything else is a betrayal of our country.”

Elon Musk, who has spent considerable time with Trump since his election, wrote on X that any lawmaker “who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”

Now Johnson is considering a "clean" continuing resolution, two sources told The Hill. The Speaker's office declined to comment.

The Hill's Mychael Schnell has more here.

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COMING UP

The Hill's Evening Report breaks down the day's big political stories and looks ahead to tomorrow. Click here to sign up & get it in your inbox

The Ticker

Upcoming news themes and events we're watching:

The government shutdown deadline is Friday, Dec. 20.
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President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect Vance on Wednesday called for Republicans to approve a clean stopgap funding bill paired with a hike to the debt ceiling, saying the previous government-funding measure negotiated by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) should be torpedoed. Read more

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CR blows up on Johnson

Business & Economy

Business & Economy

Johnson weighs plan B amid funding backlash

COMING UP

The Hill's Evening Report breaks down the day's big political stories and looks ahead to tomorrow. Click here to sign up & get it in your inbox

Topics

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