The US government shutdown looms as The House rejects Trump funding bill. Congress faces Friday night deadline after president-elect helped kill initial draft legislation.
US government shutdown
The US House of Representatives has voted against a Donald Trump-backed funding measure, bringing a government shutdown this weekend a step closer.
A revised spending plan failed to reach the two-thirds majority needed in the lower chamber of Congress, with 38 Republicans voting against the bill on Thursday night, defying the president-elect.
Tit for Tat politics
Trump had thwarted a previous cross-party funding deal that the Republican House leadership had struck with Democrats, after heavy criticism of the measure by tech billionaire Elon Musk.
Why has the budget failed?
After the bill failed by 174 votes to 235, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said he would come up with another solution on Friday before the midnight deadline.
The House and Senate will need to work quickly to approve a bill in order to get it to President Joe Biden in time to avoid a government shutdown, after lawmakers paused discussions on Thursday night.
Republicans are on a deadline
“We will regroup and we will come up with another solution,” Republican Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters after the vote. “So stay tuned.”
Thursday’s bill fell far short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass. In a sign of the challenge for Johnson, 38 Republicans voted against the measure.
Trump had urged Republicans and Democrats to vote for the bill. “SUCCESS in Washington!” he posted on Truth Social.
