The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the GOP’s plan to avoid a government shutdown
The House is gearing up to discuss and vote on an interim spending bill to prevent a government shutdown in the early hours of Saturday morning. This bill essentially renews all funding numbers from the Biden administration, but it does include a budget cut for Washington while allowing the Pentagon to kickstart new programs and increase military pay.
The stakes are high as the margin for passing the bill could be tight. Vice President JD Vance is currently meeting with House Republicans behind closed doors to garner support for the bill.
President Donald Trump recently took aim at Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., threatening a primary challenge if Massie continues to oppose the bill. The administration and House GOP leaders are adamant about avoiding a shutdown, fearing it could derail Trump’s agenda.
House Democratic leaders are against the bill, arguing that Republicans should pass it themselves since they didn’t involve Democrats in the negotiation process. However, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., declined to confirm whether all Democrats would vote against the bill.
Democrats are divided on the issue, torn between concerns that a shutdown could impact certain programs and the fear that it could give Elon Musk the opportunity to close down essential services.
The vote is scheduled to take place sometime after 4 p.m. ET today. However, even if the bill passes in the House, its future in the Senate remains uncertain. With 53 Senate Republicans needing seven Democrats to break a potential filibuster, the bill faces an uphill battle in the Senate.
The deadline to fund the government is set for 11:59:59 p.m. ET on Friday, adding pressure on lawmakers to come to a consensus. The outcome of this vote will have significant implications for the functioning of the government in the coming days and weeks.
