Republicans Come Up With New Spending Deal After Musk, Trump Torched Original Plan | EUROtoday

WASHINGTON ― House Republicans on Thursday got here up with a brand new plan to fund the federal government after billionaire Elon Musk and President-elect Donald Trump tanked their first one on Wednesday.

The new invoice would fund the federal government till March, present billions in catastrophe help and in addition droop the federal authorities’s borrowing restrict for 2 years ― a key Trump demand.

“The newly agreed to American Relief Act of 2024 will keep the Government open, fund our Great Farmers and others, and provide relief for those severely impacted by the devastating hurricanes,” Trump mentioned on his web site.

Republicans mentioned the House would vote at 6 p.m., however it’s not clear if the brand new laws will win sufficient assist to move. The authorities will shut down on Friday evening if Congress fails to behave.

Democrats mentioned earlier on Thursday they opposed including the debt restrict to the funding package deal, they usually sharply criticized the brand new plan as quickly as particulars emerged.

“The Musk-Johnson proposal is not serious,” Democratic chief Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) instructed reporters. “It’s laughable. Extreme MAGA Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown.”

The earlier laws, the results of a bipartisan negotiation, omitted the debt ceiling provision and in addition included a number of different gadgets, together with a pay increase for lawmakers, that Musk and fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy trashed as wasteful spending on Wednesday, prompting House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to desert the invoice.

Republicans gave the impression to be hoping that both Democrats have been bluffing about opposing a debt ceiling improve or that voters would blame them for a authorities shutdown if the invoice fails.

“If Democrats don’t want the government to shut down, they better play ball,” Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) instructed reporters.

It’s normally Republicans who oppose elevating the debt ceiling, and at the very least one in every of them indicated he would proceed to take action.

“I am not going to raise or suspend the debt ceiling (racking up more debt) without significant & real spending cuts attached to it,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) mentioned on-line in response to information of the deal.