House Speaker Mike Johnson at the U.S. Capitol on Dec. 17, 2024. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
The U.S. House failed to pass a bill to extend federal funding on Thursday night — just one day before the government is set to shut down.
Why it matters: The spending measure’s demise prolongs a chaotic fight that has seen House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) forced to repeatedly change tactics.
- The Trump-backed bill failed to garner the necessary two-thirds majority, with more than three dozen Republicans and nearly all Democrats opposing it.
- The level of GOP opposition signals that Republican leaders will have difficulty trying to bring it up under another process.
Driving the news: The final vote was 235 members voting against the bill and 174 voting in favor — with 38 Republicans voting against the measure and two Democrats voting in support.
State of play: Johnson had initially cut a deal with Democratic leaders on a nearly 1,550 page bill to extend government funding until March 14.
- The bill was packed with bipartisan legislative priorities, including disaster relief, farm aid and a pay raise for members of Congress.
- But the GOP’s right-flank descended on the measure, with billionaire-turned-Trump-adviser Elon Musk emerging as a particular critic, culminating in Trump torpedoing it on Wednesday.
- Johnson then scrambled to rewrite the bill, cutting several provisions and tacking on a two-year debt ceiling extension that Trump demanded.
What they’re saying: Democrats emerged from a closed-door meeting Thursday uniformly opposed to the bill and furious at Republicans for going back on the initial deal.
- “To come back with this proposal which demolishes loads of significant things that were in the agreement, is an affront and an insult especially because they didn’t even consult our leadership,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
- The revised bill was also insufficient for some conservative deficit hawks, with Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) among the bill’s opponents.
Go deeper: House Democrats land on “hell no” on GOP spending deal
Editor’s note: This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
