If There’s Going To Be a Government Shutdown, ‘Let It Begin Now,’ Trump Says and Blames Biden

With mere hours to come up with a budget solution to stave off a midnight government shutdown, chaos is unfolding at the Capitol as Republicans scramble to pull together a deal — and President-elect Trump blamed the whole mess on President Biden. Republican leaders are seeking a “Plan C” budget solution after two previous proposals were killed, including a Trump-backed budget plan that 38 Republican members revolted against on Thursday. One possibility Republican leadership is eyeing is to hold separate votes on different budget provisions, multiple press outlets are reporting. These would include a vote on a continuing resolution to fund the government through mid-March, a $100 billion disaster package, and a farm aid bill. “I expect that we will be proceeding forward, we will not have a government shutdown, and we will meet our obligations for our farmers who need aid, for the disaster victims all over the country, and for making sure that military and essential services and everyone who relies on upon the federal government for a paycheck is paid over the holidays,” Mr. Johnson said on Friday afternoon, in a brief update to reporters, promising more details soon.It’s not immediately clear if Congress will vote on the debt ceiling, an issue that Trump has brought to the forefront in recent days as he calls for Congress to eliminate or extend the debt limit.Republicans are debating whether to vote tonight — which would require a two-thirds majority to pass — or wait until tomorrow, when the two-thirds rule would no longer apply and only a majority is needed, CNN reported, citing a GOP source. “A Biden problem” is how Trump described the budget disaster earlier on Friday.“If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP,’” the president-elect wrote on Truth Social early Friday morning. “This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!”Mr. Johnson promised on Friday morning that he had a new plan and said to “stay tuned.” So far, there has been no word from Republicans on when the vote will be. A whopping 38 House Republicans voted against his “plan B” budget proposal Thursday night, with some members calling the plan “absolutely ridiculous.”“I am absolutely sickened by a party that campaigns on fiscal responsibility and has the temerity to go forward to the American people and say you think this is fiscally responsible,” Congressman Chip Roy said, as the Sun reported. “It’s asinine!” The dozens of Republicans who voted against the bill did so in direct opposition to Trump, who had praised the plan as “a very good Deal for the American People,” supporting it for pushing out the “unnecessary Debt ceiling.” Trump has put the debt ceiling — the cap on the amount of money the federal government is authorized to borrow — in recent days, calling it “ridiculous.”“Congress must get rid of, or extend out to, perhaps, 2029, the ridiculous Debt Ceiling,” Trump wrote on Truth Social early Friday morning. “Without this, we should never make a deal. Remember, the pressure is on whoever is President.”As the midnight deadline looms to avoid government shutdown, a failure to come to an agreement has thrust Mr. Johnson’s political future into jeopardy ahead of a January 3 Speaker vote. He has faced a chaotic day as he attempts to balance pleasing Trump, keeping fiscal conservatives on his side, and winning over Democrat votes.

If There’s Going To Be a Government Shutdown, ‘Let It Begin Now,’ Trump Says and Blames Biden

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