WASHINGTON — As the hours tick down to a government shutdown, a plan backed by President-elect Donald Trump failed to get enough backing from not only Democrats but more than three dozen Republicans, making the likelihood of a Christmas government shutdown more of a reality.
What happened?
The proposed continuing resolution would have kept the government open for the next three months and suspended the debt ceiling, but the bill failed with 235 lawmakers voting no.
It would have given people who were impacted by this year’s hurricane disasters financial assistance but removed funding for pediatric cancer research and pay raises for lawmakers.
The defeat came after a bipartisan agreement was pulled from the table at the urging of Trump and his billionaire backer Elon Musk, The Associated Press reported.
Despite the plan being voted down by dozens of Republicans, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance blamed Democrats for the bill failing, saying “they didn’t want to give the president negotiating leverage during the first year of his new term.” He did not say anything about the 38 Republicans who joined Democrats to defeat the bill, which needed two-thirds support to pass.
Meanwhile, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Republicans “are not serious about helping working-class Americans,” adding, “They are simply doing the bidding of their wealthy donors and puppeteers. Unacceptable,” he wrote on Bluesky.
The Musk-Johnson government shutdown bill has been soundly defeated. MAGA extremists in the House GOP are not serious about helping working class Americans. They are simply doing the bidding of their wealthy donors and puppeteers. Unacceptable.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@hakeem-jeffries.bsky.social) December 19, 2024 at 6:58 PM
Congress could still keep the government open if they pass a continuing resolution or a full spending plan before 12:01 a.m. Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said Friday morning that another plan to keep the government open has been forged and a vote is expected.
“We’re expecting votes this morning, so y’all stay tuned, we’ve got a plan,” Johnson said, according to CNN.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters he has a plan and is expecting to vote again this morning.
— Annie Grayer (@AnnieGrayerCNN) December 20, 2024
"We're expecting votes this morning, so y'all stay tuned, we've got a plan" Johnson said.
When pressed if there is a new agreement though, Johnson added: "We'll see."
As lawmakers said they would work through the night to keep the government open, vice President Kamala Harris canceled her Los Angeles travel plans and stayed in Washington, D.C.
President Joe Biden was in Wilmington, Delaware, on Wednesday as he memorialized his first wife and daughter who were killed in a car crash more than 50 years ago. Biden was silent and under “a lid” as it is called, meaning that Biden would not be seen or heard from that day, Politico reported.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden opposed the failed bill, adding, “Republicans are doing the bidding of their billionaire benefactors at the expense of hardworking Americans.”
She said Biden supported the previous bipartisan agreement to keep the government open.
Biden was at his Delaware home for much of Thursday but returned to D.C. Thursday evening, not speaking about funding when he got back to the White House, Politico said.
What could be impacted if no deal is reached?
The Office of Management and Budget has already told agencies to prepare for a possible shutdown, the AP reported.
When the government shut down in 2013, 850,000 workers were furloughed, NBC News reported.
As travelers head to airports, The Transportation Security Administration expects employees and air traffic controllers to continue working but there could be delays. In 2019 when the government shut down for 34 days, while TSA agents were required to work without pay, many called in sick, NBC News reported.
TSA spokesperson Carter Langston said the agency has 62,000 employees and of those 59,000 are essential. They would work but would not get paid during a shutdown, The New York Times reported.
At Homeland Security more than 150,000 employees would work, but not get paid.
Health and Human Services has about 90,000 employees. 50,000 would work through the shutdown while 40,000 would be furloughed.
The National Institutes of Health would provide care for people “for whom it is medically necessary.”
The Food and Drug Administration would respond to outbreaks but research would be paused.
Once the shutdown concludes, federal employees will get back pay once the bill is signed along with overtime if they qualify. But federal contractors such as janitors and cafeteria workers won’t get the back pay. They could get unemployment, however.
Military members may have their paychecks delayed, the Times reported. Military retirees will get paid because their funding comes from another source, but the processing may be delayed, NBC News reported.
Most civilian personnel working for the Department of Defense will be furloughed, CBS News reported.
National law enforcement agencies — the FBI, DEA, prison staff, Coast Guard and Secret Service — will continue operations, USA Today reported.
National parks and museums will likely close during a shutdown.
Inspections at chemical factories, power plants and water treatment facilities will not happen.
Social Security, Medicare and veterans’ medical care will continue to operate since they’re considered mandatory spending, NBC News reported, but food stamps or WIC coverage could be paused, the Times reported. Also new applications for Social Security benefits may be delayed, CBS News reported.
Mail will still be delivered.
Biden and members of Congress would continue being paid, NBC News reported. Congressional staffers will be furloughed, USA Today reported.
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