Congressional leaders on Tuesday afternoon finally released a short-term government funding bill to avoid a shutdown later this week. This measure will fund the government until March 14, 2025, at current spending levels. The measure also includes $100.4 billion in disaster relief and an additional $10 billion in financial aid for farmers.
Republican leadership could hold a vote on Wednesday, but it’s more likely to happen on Thursday.
Provisions in the short-term spending bill include:
- Reauthorization of the Department of Homeland Security’s unmanned aircraft systems program, which will allow coordination among all Homeland Security agencies to respond to and respond to potential drone threats.
- One year extension of the Farm Bill.
- Expands a variety of expiring health programs, including telehealth programs.
- Gives Washington, DC, control of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, opening the way for NFL quarterbacks to move from Maryland to DC.
- The government’s provision to cover 100% of the reconstruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed when a container ship ran into it.
- Restrictions on US investment China.
Republicans had initially promised to release the text of the bill over the weekend with the goal of a vote early this week, but sharp criticism from their own members continually delayed negotiators from finalizing the legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson said he prefers to wait 72 hours after the text of the bill is published for a vote, as lawmakers are eager to get out of town for the holidays, so that rule is unlikely to be followed.
Earlier Tuesday, several House Republicans walked out of a morning briefing meeting angry at Johnson’s handling of the bill.
Missouri Republican Rep. Eric Burlison called the speaker’s funding plan presented at the conference meeting “a dumpster fire.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks to reporters after a House Conference meeting with Republicans Blake Moore and Steve Scalise on Capitol Hill in Washington, December 17, 2024.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
“I think it’s rubbish,” Burlison said, and he took his frustrations out on Johnson, who wants to keep the speakership in the new year.
“I’m disappointed,” Burlison said when asked about Johnson’s future. “I think he can do better. Can communicate better. The fact that we haven’t seen the language today and that we have to vote this week is unacceptable.”
Representative Ralph Norman, R-South Carolina, said he is also disappointed with the funding plan.
“I will not vote for the CR (continuing resolution),” he said.
Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy, a frequent critic of the leadership’s spending bills, said, “This is not the right way to do business.”
“We are very serious about expenses. And as long as you get a blank check, you can’t shrink the government. If you can’t shrink the government, you can’t live free,” Roy said.
The Texas congressman did not respond when asked in January if he would support the speaker.
Republican Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia said as he left the meeting, “I’m frustrated with the whole approach to this because I think, once again, we’re adding to the deficit without having a clear plan to move forward.”
After relying on Democrats for bipartisan support to pass the last five consecutive resolutions, Johnson shrugged off criticism among his peers, insisting the bill has not been released.
“I have a couple of friends who will say that about any year-end funding measure,” Johnson said. “This is not an omnibus, OK? This is a small CR, things we had to add that were out of our control. These are not man-made disasters. These are things that the federal government has a proper role to play.”
Despite rising tensions, Johnson has expressed optimism that his spokeswoman will overcome challenges to buy conference time until Republicans consolidate control of Washington next year.
“I’m not worried about the speaker’s vote. We are governing. Everyone knows that we have difficult situations. We’re doing the best we can under the circumstances,” Johnson said. “These are tough choices that lawmakers have to make, but we’re going to do the job, the way we always do. ».
With government funding set to expire at the end of the week, Johnson was adamant that the House must abide by the 72-hour rule, where the clock starts voting when the text of the bill is released.
“I believe in the 72-hour shot rule,” Johnson said. “We are committed to all of this. We will take care of these duties and get that done, and then we will go to work on a united government in the 119th Congress. It starts in January.”
