House Erupts In Chaos As GOP Clashes Over Trump-Backed Spending Bill
The House is voting on a slimmed-down government funding bill that President-elect Donald Trump has hailed as a “very good Deal for the American People.” Despite the former president’s praise, the bill is facing stiff opposition from some Republicans and nearly unanimous resistance from House Democrats, leaving the prospects of avoiding a government shutdown in serious doubt.
The renegotiated stopgap measure, now just 116 pages—dramatically cut down from 1,547 pages the day prior—does not include congressional pay raises, a provision Trump supporters are calling a win. However, opposition is mounting as frustrations over spending and party divisions boil over.
Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) unleashed a fiery rebuke of his Republican colleagues on the House floor, accusing them of failing to deliver on promises of fiscal restraint. “You’ve added to the debt since you were given the majority again on November 5th. It’s embarrassing. It’s shameful,” Roy said, his voice rising in anger. “Yes, I think this bill is better than it was yesterday on certain respects. But to take this bill yesterday and congratulate yourself because it’s shorter in pages, but increases the debt by $5 trillion is asinine.”
Roy’s pointed criticism underscores deep frustration among conservatives. “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,” Roy said.
On the other side of the aisle, Democratic Congressman Richard Neal (D-MA) voiced fears about what the next two years of divided government might look like, particularly with the influence of Trump and his platform.
“Can you imagine what the next two years are gonna be like?” Neal asked. “If every time the Congress works its will and then there’s a tweet from an individual who has no official portfolio, who threatens members on the Republican side with a primary and they succumb?” Neal’s remarks follow reports from NBC that Democrats were left out of the renegotiation process entirely.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), one of Trump’s strongest allies in the House, pushed back on the idea that Republicans are to blame for the looming shutdown.
“The deal on the table is as-is. You either vote for it, or you vote for the shutdown. But it will be not on the Republican Party, but on Democrats as it stands,” Luna said.
The American people rejected the last CR. We have gotten together and secured a WIN for the people.
This deal will keep the government open. If Democrats choose to shut it down, it will be on YOU, NOT the Republicans.
You can yell at me all you want, but you can’t silence me. pic.twitter.com/FZmQXRtEQ4
— Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (@RepLuna) December 19, 2024
With Republicans pointing fingers at Democrats and conservatives like Roy excoriating their own leadership, the fate of the funding bill remains uncertain.
Meanwhile, Trump, in his characteristic style, celebrated the latest developments as a victory for taxpayers. “This is a very good Deal for the American People,” he declared earlier in the day. The bill’s failure would likely trigger a partial shutdown, adding further chaos to an already contentious political environment. With both parties digging in and conservatives rejecting Trump’s support for the measure, the next few hours could determine whether a shutdown becomes reality.