Republicans regroup to find a funding bill ‘plan C’

British newspaper The Finacial Times named President-elect Trump as their “Person of the Year” on Thursday.

“This year, the FT has again picked Trump because of his remarkable return to power. It is no longer possible to dismiss him as a blip,” the paper wrote.

Trump was the paper’s “Person of the Year” after his victory in the 2016 presidential election over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The nomination comes just a week after the president-elect was chosen as Time magazine’s 2024 “Person of the Year.”

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) left the Capitol after Thursday’s failed floor vote, telling reporters “we’ll see” when asked if he is going to move on another bill on Friday — the day of the shutdown deadline.

Congress is racing toward a shutdown at the end of the day Friday, and Republicans appear no closer to finding a path forward that will keep the lights on and appease President-elect Trump.

The latest setback roiled the House on Thursday evening, when Democrats and a band of Republicans rejected a bill that paired a three-month government funding extension, $110 billion in disaster and farm aid and other measures with a two-year suspension of the debt limit — the latter of which was a last-minute demand by Trump.

That plan B was cobbled together after GOP lawmakers, Trump and Elon Musk torpedoed the first deal Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) negotiated with Democrats, with the influential Republicans criticizing the policy add-ons included — like a health care policy deal and cost of living raise for members of Congress — that ballooned the legislation to over 1,500 pages.

With Johnson’s first two proposals up in flames, Republicans are unsure where to turn.

“There’s no plan,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said after the plan B vote failed, adding: “Trump wants the thing to shut down.”

Johnson told reporters Thursday night, shortly after the failed vote, that Republicans would “regroup” and “come up with another solution,” adding “stay tuned.”

READ MORE HERE.

Thirty-eight House Republican lawmakers voted against the President-elect Trump-backed government spending bill which failed to clear the lower chamber with just over a day before the shutdown. 

Here’s a list of the GOP representatives voted against the measure on Thursday that would have prevented a government shutdown and suspended the debt limit.

House GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain (R-Mich.) expressed some optimism leaving the Speaker’s suite on Thursday.

McClain said lawmakers are making “progress” when asked about funding talks, but wouldn’t provide further details as leaders try to plot next steps.

Incoming Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) indicated that the ball is still in the court of House Republicans after a second proposal to extend government funding foundered in a vote on the floor ahead and that they must figure out how to move forward ahead of Friday night’s deadline.

“I guess it’s back to the drawing board,” Thune told The Hill as he exited the Capitol. “We’ll see. We’ll figure out in the House what they want to do next, and they’ll digest this last effort and see what Plan B is.” 

Read the full story here.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) told reporters Republicans will “regroup” and “come up with another solution” after his proposal to fund the government and suspend the debt limit failed on the House floor.

“Stay tuned,” he added.

Johnson, on his way from the House chamber to his office, blamed Democrats for torpedoing his proposal.

“Very disappointing to us that all but two Democrats voted against aid to farmers and ranchers, against disaster relief, against all these bipartisan measures that had already been negotiated and decided upon,” he said.

The Speaker continued, arguing it was “really irresponsible” for Congress “to risk a shutdown” over the legislation that included some provisions from the bipartisan and bicameral proposal unveiled earlier this week.

There are, however, stark differences between the two, such as the inclusion of the two-year debt limit suspension and the exclusion of other provisions.

“It is, I think, really irresponsible for us to risk a shutdown over these issues on things that they have already agreed upon,” Johnson said. “I think you need to be asking them the questions about that.“

Rep. Don Bacon (R-Neb.) says Republicans should have “tried to stick close” to the original deal with Democrats.

“Most of us voted to not shut down, so I think it’d be, it’d be easy to show the no vote over here and say, but you know, in the end, we had an agreement. We should have tried to stick close to that agreement.”

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said that Trump’s team first floated a five-year debt limit suspension so that it would not come up under his term.

The bill that failed on the floor Thursday included a two-year hike, which was a nonstarter with Democrats.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) slammed GOP leaders Thursday evening after the Republicans’ Trump-backed plan to fund the federal government and raise the debt ceiling was trounced on the House floor.

Jeffries accused Republicans of caving to the demands of Elon Musk, the billionaire Trump-loyalist, whose opposition to a bipartisan spending agreement helped tank that deal and forced Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) scrambling for an alternative on Thursday.

“The Musk-Johnson government shutdown bill has been soundly defeated,” Jeffries posted on Blue Sky, an alternative platform to Musk’s X.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said that she is unsure what the plan is to fund the government after the House bill failed on Thursday night, moving members closer to a shutdown.

The top Senate GOO appropriator told reporters that a bill originating from the Senate is not the “preferred way to proceed,” but is something she could potentially foresee amid the ongoing troubles.

“I don’t know what the plan is now,” she said, adding that the inclusion of a debt ceiling increase “seems to have aggravated the Democrats.”

Collins also said that she would be supportive of a short-term measure that would get lawmakers past the holiday season.

“Yes,” she said about the possibility of a three-week “clean” bill. “My number one goal is to prevent a government shutdown.”

Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said Republicans have no plan for what happens next after their plan B stopgap and debt ceiling increase bill failed on the House floor.

“There is no plan,” Norman said, adding: “Trump wants the thing to shut down.”

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was still on the House floor more than 15 minutes after his stopgap bill that included a two-year debt limit suspension failed in the chamber.

Johnson was seen huddling with Republican Reps. Michael Cloud (Texas), Beth Van Duyne (Texas), Josh Brecheen (Okla.), Andy Ogles (Tenn.) and Kat Cammack (Fla.), all of whom voted against the package, among others.

Republican Reps. Dusty Johnson (S.D.) and Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), who supported the measure, were also in the huddle.

Reps. Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) and Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.) voted for the government funding bill, which failed.

Johnson’s Plan B, which was rolled out just hours before being voted on the floor, failed in a 174-235-1 vote, missing the two-thirds mark required as it was brought under the suspension of the rules process on Thursday.

The legislation met opposition within the GOP House conference as 38 Republican lawmakers voted against the bill.

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) voted present on the continuing resolution.

Minutes after the government spending bill failed, Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) called for individual votes on its different elements.

“This isn’t complicated,” he posted on X. “Separate the bills and vote on them individually.”

He then called for a vote each on a “clean CR,” the debt limit, disaster funding, the farm bill supplement.

“Radical right? Individual bills for each issue.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) called on lawmakers to shift their focus back to the original stopgap spending bill proposal after a bipartisan group of House members rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) latest gambit.

“It’s a good thing the bill failed in the House, and now it’s time to go back to the bipartisan agreement,” he said.

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said there are no current plans to send government funding stopgap to the Rules Committee, where two prominent opponents of the measure are members.

“Not on this bill … not right now,” he said. “We’re going to have some more talks. I won’t say anything’s dead because we’re going to continue having talks.”

The Rules Committee was considered one of the options Johnson might choose if the bill failed on the floor using a fast-track process.

It is unclear what Johnson’s next steps will be.

The House on Thursday torpedoed Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) plan B to avert a government shutdown and suspend the debt limit, dealing a blow to the GOP leader and catapulting the conference back to square one as it stares down Friday’s funding deadline.

The measure — which Johnson rolled out hours roughly three hours before the vote — failed to clear the chamber in a 174-235-1 vote, falling short of the two-thirds threshold needed for passage under the fast-track suspension of the rules process.

The bill met its demise after Democrats — led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), who called the legislation “laughable” — and a handful of conservative Republicans came out against the legislation, largely over the inclusion of a two-year suspension of the debt limit, which was a demand made by President-elect Trump.

It remains unclear what path Johnson pursues next. Given the Republican opposition, the bill is unlikely to pass in the slim GOP majority if Johnson attempts to another vote it through a longer regular rule process that requires just a simple majority.

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Rep. Marc Molinaro (R-N.Y.) broke his gavel in an attempt to quiet the House floor as Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) spoke.

“I’m here today because I realize that the plan that’s on the table currently to keep our government open, but also the promise from the only president in my lifetime who’s ever followed through on all of his campaign promises to the American people –,” Luna began, though she was met with audible groans.

“Excuse me, I’m not done talking. Give me the same respect we give you guys,” Luna said.

Molinaro interjected, reminding lawmakers to “respect” Luna and that she has a “right to be heard.”

“The deal on the table will keep the government open for the American people and if you guys so choose to shut it down, it will be on you but not the Republican party. We will not be going back to the table, this deal stands as it is so let you go back home on Christmas and explain to your people why you shut down the government because we won’t be doing it,” Luna said.

Her remarks were met with more audible opposition from Democrats as Luna tried to continue, but was met with Molinaro hitting the gavel several times before it appeared to break.

Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) slammed the funding agreement in debate before the House voted on the deal reached on Thursday to avert a government shutdown.

“We’re going to increase the debt by $5 trillion that’s what’s going to happen right here, by Republicans increasing the debt by $5 trillion and what are you doing in the same bill? $110 billion unpaid for because you never have any ounce of self-respect to go out and campaign saying you’re going to balance the budget, and then you come in here and pass $110 billion unpaid for,” Roy said.

Roy, a fiscal conservative, acknowledged that the legislation dubbed the American Relief Act, is “better” than the initial package negotiated by Johnson. But, said the bill will still increase the debt, calling it “asinine.”

“It’s embarrassing. It’s shameful. Yes, I think this bill is better than it was yesterday on certain respects. But to take this bill, to take this bill yesterday, and congratulate yourself, because it’s shorter in pages, but increases the debt by $5 trillion is asinine, and that’s precisely what Republicans are doing,” Roy said.

Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is touting the bill as the House votes.

Johnson listed a number of provisions in the bill, including disaster aid and economic assistance for farmers.

“Everything that I just told you was negotiated in a bipartisan fact. Both parties agreed to these terms on the board. Right now, the only change in this legislation is that we are going to elect push the debt limit to January 30 of 2027, we will, we will push it beyond that or to that time, and that will allow us to do the important work of governing in the new Congress,” he said.

He did not say what he would do if the bill fails.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates and Rep. Pramilla Jayapal (D-Wash.) were among the Democratic voices blasting Republicans for dropping pediatric cancer funding from the government funding package.

Bates, on X, accused the GOP of bowing to Elon Musk’s push for less spending by “suddenly throwing out historic investments to fight pediatric cancer, including new requirements on Pharma – the Give Kids a Chance Act. Why? Because the richest man in the world had a whim. That is the exact opposite of standing up to the establishment.”

“That’s what they were so intent on cutting,” Jayapal posted on X.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) snapped back on the House floor during the debate about the GOP spending plan as some of her comments were met with audible opposition from Democrats.

“I’m here today because I realize that the plan that’s on the table currently to keep our government open, but also the promise from the only president in my lifetime who’s ever followed through on all of his campaign promises to the American people –,” Luna began, though she was met with audible groans.

“Excuse me, I’m not done talking. Give me the same respect we give you guys,” Luna said.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized the President-elect Trump-backed spending plan to avoid government shutdown on Thursday, coming out in support of Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) initial proposal.

“Republicans are doing the bidding of their billionaire benefactors at the expense of hardworking Americans,” she said in a statement, calling the deal “Republicans’ billionaire giveaway.”

Trump and Elon Musk put heat on the Speaker when they publicly lobbied on Wednesday against the first plan, which was an agreement backed by both Democrats and Republicans.

“Republicans are breaking their word to support a bipartisan agreement that would lower prescription drug costs and make it harder to offshore jobs to China—and instead putting forward a bill that paves the way for tax breaks for billionaires while cutting critical programs working families count on, from Social Security to Head Start,” Jean-Pierre added.

The White House noted that President Biden supported the first agreement, not the “11th hour” plan put forth by Republicans.

“President Biden supports the bipartisan agreement to keep the government open, help communities recovering from disasters, and lower costs—not this giveaway for billionaires that Republicans are proposing at the 11th hour,” she said.

Read more here.

Democratic senators have urged United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby to reach a deal with the unionized flight attendants who are striking across the country.

“We encourage you to negotiate urgently to reach an agreement that recognizes these workers’ vital contributions to United Airlines,” 25 Democratic senators, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), wrote in a letter to Kirby on Thursday.

The support from the lawmakers in the upper chamber comes as the airlines’ flight attendants picketed on Thursday at airports nationwide. The senators offered support for the 28,000 flight attendants at the airline and told Kirby to “return to the bargaining table to deliver a fair contract.”

“Flight attendants worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic amid not only a public health crisis, but also a surge in conflict and aggression on planes,” the senators said in the letter. “Flight attendants risked their own health and safety day after day and do the difficult, essential work that allowed United Airlines to thrive.”

In late August, United Airlines flight attendants overwhelmingly voted in favor of a strike authorization. At the time, the workers said they wanted pay base increases, increased pay for the time at work and greater schedule flexibility, among other demands.

United Airlines spokesperson told The Hill in a statement that the company is “eager to reach the industry-leading agreement with our flight attendants that they deserve. United is offering pay raises of 22.5 percent, new boarding pay and many other improvements.”

“The federal mediation process requested by the Association of Flight Attendants is expected to resume in early 2025 with the new negotiating committee named by the union on November 19,” the spokesperson wrote.

The senators in the letter claimed that Kirby received a 90 percent increase during a four year period in which workers did not receive a raise nor an improvement in their contract.

“In October, United Airlines announced a $1.5 billion stock buyback plan, even as flight attendants struggled to meet their basic needs and keep up with the cost of living,” he added.

The lawmakers said they will closely follow the “progress at the bargaining table and are eager to see a fair agreement reached soon.”

House Democrats are rallying in overwhelming opposition to the Republicans’ second stab at a government funding bill, vowing to sink it on the House floor and force GOP leaders back to the table to negotiate a bipartisan compromise.

Huddling behind closed doors in the Capitol basement, party leaders detailed their opposition to the bill and urged their troops to join them in voting against it.

Read the full story here.

The House has scheduled a vote on the revamped government funding bill unveiled Thursday evening.

Debate of the bill is already underway on the House floor and a vote is scheduled for 6 p.m. local time.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk praised House leadership’s refurbished spending plan on Thursday after slamming the initial version.

“This shows how much your voice matters!” he wrote on the social media platform X, which he owns. “And having a President like @realDonaldTrump means that your voice is finally heard.”

Musk staunchly rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) first proposal to keep the government’s lights on, threatening political retribution against GOP lawmakers that backed it.

Sens. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) threatened Thursday to vote against any government funding package that doesn’t include disaster relief for the victims of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which ravaged their states.

The GOP lawmakers issued their warning after President-elect Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance called on Congress to pass a clean stopgap funding measure paired with language to raise the debt limit.

Read the full story here.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) criticized the new spending deal, labeling it “laughable” on Thursday evening.

“The Musk-Johnson proposal is not serious — it’s laughable,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill. “Extreme MAGA Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown.”

Democratic support is required to pass the plan, which President-elect Trump has backed and urged lawmakers to vote for after he torpedoed the initial deal.