House Republicans Forced to Split Spending Bill Into Even Smaller Pieces After Trump-Backed Version Tanks in Vote

House Republicans are reportedly moving toward splitting the government funding bill into pieces, the latest strategy in their attempt to aver a shutdown after midnight.

The votes will include the Continuing Resolution (CR) keeping the government functioning until March, disaster relief, and aid for farmers according to Punchbowl News reporter Jake Sherman.

House Republicans are set to hold a full conference meeting on the plans and assess the path forward. It is unclear whether they will come out as a unified front.

Republicans leaders are scrambling to avert a shutdown after the party failed to get enough votes and pass a slimmed-down initiative on Thursday despite it being supported by President-elect Donald Trump.

Key to its demise was the opposition of 38 Republicans. "Why would we give Joe Biden more money this late in his administration?" said Rep. Bob Good after voting against the bill. "The money intended for disaster victims should have been paid for, there should have been offsets."

The bill was soundly defeated, getting only 174 votes in favor and 235 against. Democrats and Republicans have been engaged in a blame game since, with the former focusing on the outsized role Musk is having.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, whose position is increasingly unstable amid the fiasco, said House votes are expected this morning. "We've got a plan," he told reporters.

Republican lawmakers have also called on Trump to make his way to D.C. and become physically involved in the negotiations. "I think that would be wonderful," said Rep. Dusty Johnson in an interview. "He is, not infrequently, a disruptive force, and that is a good thing," he added, claiming that Trump has "some strongly held opinions about what we'd like to see in this package."

"If he got here, I think we would be able to get a really good package together quickly," Johnson added. He was echoing comments also made by Sen. Kevin Cramer, who also made the call.

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on Republicans to return to the original agreement negotiated by both parties. "It's time for that. It's time the House votes on our bipartisan CR. It's the quickest, simplest and easiest way we can make sure the government stays open while delivering critical emergency aid to the American people," he said on the Senate floor.

Originally published on Latin Times

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Republicans, Congress, Democrats