Fri Dec 20 23:26:36 UTC 2024: ## House Passes Last-Minute Funding Bill, Averting Government Shutdown

**Washington, D.C. –** In a dramatic late-night vote, the US House narrowly avoided a government shutdown, approving a temporary funding bill that will keep federal operations running until March. The bill, passed 366-34, now heads to the Senate for expected swift approval.

The legislation, the third attempt by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), omits President-elect Donald Trump’s demand for a debt ceiling increase, a last-minute request that threatened to derail the entire process. Trump insisted on the increase, threatening to let a shutdown commence if it wasn’t included. This gamble ultimately backfired, forcing Johnson to navigate a complex political landscape.

The approved bill provides $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in agricultural assistance, while maintaining current funding levels. The debt ceiling debate, a key Trump priority, has been postponed until the new year, as part of a Republican pledge to address it alongside their planned tax cuts and spending reductions.

This eleventh-hour agreement highlights the precarious position of Speaker Johnson and the Republican party. The bill’s passage required crucial Democratic support, exposing the GOP’s reliance on the opposition party even with a unified government in the near future. This reliance has drawn significant criticism from both sides of the aisle, with figures like Elon Musk questioning the bill’s partisan affiliation. Rep. Rosa DeLauro even suggested that Musk, rather than elected officials, was directing Trump’s actions.

The situation underscores President-elect Trump’s growing influence despite not yet being sworn in. He exerted significant pressure on the process, coordinating with Vice President-elect JD Vance and his OMB pick, Russ Vought, from Mar-a-Lago. Trump’s actions were met with mixed reactions, including a strong rebuke from Steve Bannon at the Turning Point USA’s AmericaFest.

President Biden, facing criticism for a perceived lack of involvement, emphasized that the Republicans were responsible for the near-shutdown. Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer highlighted the original bipartisan compromise as a more efficient solution. The political maneuvering comes as Johnson faces an uncertain future, needing near-unanimous support from House Republicans to maintain his speakership. The drama unfolded against a backdrop of government workers being warned of potential unpaid holidays if the shutdown proceeded.

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