Trump backed CR fails the House

The House of Representatives has rejected President-elect Donald Trump’s last-minute proposal to fund federal operations and suspend the debt ceiling, just one day before a potential government shutdown. Nearly three dozen Republicans joined Democrats in voting against Trump’s unexpected demands and the rushed measure assembled by GOP leaders. The bill failed with a vote of 174-235, falling short of even a simple majority.

Congressional leaders are now regrouping to decide on a path forward. House Republican Leader Steve Scalise stated they will not attempt to reintroduce the same bill. The proposed legislation aimed to keep the government running for three months, provide disaster assistance for hurricane-affected states, and extend borrowing authority through January 2027. It excluded several provisions from an earlier version, such as criminalizing the creation of pornographic AI images, funding pediatric cancer research, and granting lawmakers pay raises. Federal agencies will shut down if Congress does not pass either a continuing resolution or a long-term spending bill by the end of Friday.

After the Trump-backed funding proposal failed, House Republicans were seen shuffling in and out of Speaker Mike Johnson’s office Thursday night, offering few concrete details about the next steps. Rep. Kat Cammack, a Republican who opposed the bill, acknowledged, “This was not an easy vote for constitutional conservatives.” She added, “We’re going to work through the night to figure out a plan.” Rep. Lisa McClain struck a similar tone, saying, “We are still working diligently and making progress,” though she declined to elaborate. Majority Leader Steve Scalise blamed Democrats for the deadlock, stating, “We tried several things today that most of our members supported, but the Democrats decided to try and shut it down. We’re going to keep working.”

Vice President Kamala Harris has canceled her planned trip to Los Angeles amid the looming threat of a government shutdown. The White House announced Thursday evening that Harris will remain in Washington instead of traveling to her home state, following Republicans’ decision to abandon a bipartisan compromise that could have kept the government funded.