- On Dec. 19, House Republicans failed to pass a 1,547-page spending bill due to intense criticism and opposition from conservative and moderate Republicans.
- President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance urged for a clean continuing resolution instead, adding pressure to the already struggling deal.
- Tech mogul Elon Musk publicly criticized the bill and warned Republican members of potential primary challenges if they supported it, further inflaming opposition.
- The bill was defeated with a 174-236 vote, failing to garner enough support from Republicans and Democrats alike. This left House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) in a vulnerable position.
- Johnson’s handling of the bill and other high-stakes negotiations has led to criticism and potential opposition from fellow Republicans, signaling a risk to his speakership in the upcoming vote on January 3, 2025. Sources suggest that President-elect Trump may also lose confidence in Johnson’s leadership.
House Republicans failed to pass a new spending bill after daylong negotiations on Thursday, Dec. 19.
The 1,547-page bill, which had the backing of President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, came under intense scrutiny and criticism.
Trump and Vance released a scathing statement the same day it failed, urging Republicans to pass a clean continuing resolution with only an add-on addressing the debt ceiling. Trump’s intervention was the final blow to a deal that already faced significant backlash from conservative and moderate Republicans, who saw the bill as a capitulation to Democratic demands.
Adding to Johnson’s woes, tech tycoon Elon Musk spent the day lambasting the bill and warned Republican members that they would face primary challenges if they supported the legislation. Musk’s vocal opposition further galvanized Republican opposition to the deal.
Despite efforts by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Trump’s team to reconcile different ideological factions, the measure fell far short of passage, failing by a margin of 174 to 236, with one vote marked as present and 20 members absent. Notably, 38 Republicans voted against the bill, alongside a near-complete absence of Democratic support. Only two Democrats supported the measure, with one voting present and eleven abstaining. (Related: CONSERVATIVES SOUND THE ALARM: Big Pharma and the Left trying to force $32 billion money grab from America’s seniors into year-end spending deal.)
Johnson brought the bill to the floor under suspension of the rules, requiring a two-thirds majority to pass. The proposal was hastily assembled, removing over a thousand pages of unrelated provisions to focus solely on funding the government.
Johnson could lose his speakership after the spending bill collapse
Johnson’s tenure has been marked by a series of missteps and negotiations that have left him vulnerable to criticism. Despite his initial popularity, Johnson has struggled to navigate high-stakes negotiations with Democrats and maintain control over his conference. His handling of the Ukraine aid package and Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) re-authorization, among other issues, has drawn fire from conservatives who see him as lacking the necessary leadership skills.
This collapse of the year-end spending deal has even left Johnson’s position in jeopardy, with his leadership questioned both within his conference and by outside observers.
Many Republicans who voted against the bill cited concerns with the process and the content of the proposal, seeing it as a protest vote against Johnson’s leadership.
Notably, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) have publicly announced their intention to oppose Johnson in the upcoming Speaker vote on Jan. 3, 2025. Rep. Andy Harris (R-MD), a vocal critic of Johnson, has already vowed to oppose him and other potential challengers are rumored to follow suit.
Additionally, some sources suggest that Trump may lose confidence in his ability to effectively manage the House Republicans. The loss of Trump’s support could prove fatal for Johnson’s chances of securing the speakership in the upcoming vote.
More of the latest news about America’s government can be found at Corruption.news.
Watch this video of Trump weighing in on the heated spending bill debate.
This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.
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