A spending bill backed by President-elect Donald Trump failed in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, as dozens of Republicans defied the president-elect and left Congress with no clear plan to avert a government shutdown that could disrupt Christmas travel.
The package, which was hastily assembled by Republican leaders to meet Trump’s demands, was defeated by a vote of 174-235. The bill would have extended government funding into March and provided $100 billion in disaster relief, suspended the debt ceiling, and suspended limits on the national debt for two years.
Trump had pressured lawmakers to tie up loose ends before he takes office on January 20, but members of the party’s right flank refused to support the package, which they called a wasteful giveaway to Democrats.
“I am absolutely sickened by a party that campaigns on fiscal responsibility and has the temerity to go to the American people and say you think this is fiscally responsible,” said Representative Chip Roy, one of 38 Republicans who voted against the bill.
The failure of the package leaves Congress with no clear plan to avert a government shutdown, which would interrupt funding for everything from border enforcement to national parks and cut off paychecks for over 2 million federal workers. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration warned that travelers during the busy holiday season could face long lines at airports.
The vote laid bare fault lines in Trump’s Republican Party that could surface again next year when they control the White House and both chambers of Congress.
Government funding is due to expire at midnight on Friday, and if lawmakers fail to extend the deadline, the U.S. government will begin a partial shutdown.
The spending bill’s failure also raises questions about the future of Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, who has repeatedly had to turn to Democrats for help in passing legislation. Several Republicans have said they would not vote for Johnson as speaker when Congress returns in January, potentially setting up another tumultuous leadership battle in the weeks before Trump takes office.
