House Republicans put forward a new plan this afternoon in an attempt to avert a government shutdown. Their proposal, which would fund the federal government at its current levels through mid-March, was devised after Donald Trump stepped in yesterday to torpedo a spending deal that House Speaker Mike Johnson had struck with Democrats.
Republican lawmakers said they hoped to vote on the deal this evening. Democrats, whose votes may be needed for the proposal to pass, told reporters they were “united” in voting against it. Here’s the latest.
Crucially, the proposal would suspend the debt ceiling for two years, as Trump had demanded. But such a move is “totally anathema to a good chunk of House Republicans,” our congressional correspondent Catie Edmondson told me. And if a spending deal is not approved by Saturday, the government will be forced to shut down.
Trump, who quickly endorsed the new deal, had publicly turned against Johnson’s initial plan after Elon Musk openly opposed it. Musk made more than 150 social media posts attacking the earlier deal, including threats of political retribution for anyone who voted for it. The deal’s failure was in part a display of Musk’s newfound political strength.