Saturday, December 21, 2024

CONGRESS REJECTS TRUMP AND MUSK, AVERTS GOV.'T SHUTDOWN

By Al Weaver, Alexander Bolton and Aris Folley
The Hill

The Senate in the early hours of Saturday passed a stopgap funding package, avoiding a government shutdown that would have furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal workers and bringing a tumultuous week in Congress to a close.

Senators voted 85-11 to approve a continuing resolution (CR) that extends funding at current levels until March 14, provides more than $100 billion in disaster assistance to areas ravaged by hurricanes and other storms and includes economic assistance for farmers.

The bill, which passed the House 366-34-1 earlier Friday, will now head to President Biden desk for his signature ahead of a midnight deadline.

Biden is scheduled to sign the compromise continuing resolution Saturday. 

“Tonight, the Senate delivers more good news for America. There will be no government shutdown right before Christmas,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Summer (D-N.Y.) said on the Senate floor ahead of final passage. “This is a good bill. It’ll keep the government open … and helps Americans affected by hurricanes and natural disasters, helps our farmers and avoid harmful cuts.”

(A government shutdown would have caused federal services – ranging from the National Park Service to Border Patrol – to limit and begin closing operations this weekend.

President-elect Donald Trump and Vice-President-elect JD Vance dealt the final blow to House Speaker Mike Johnson's bipartisan funding bill Wednesday night following a pressure campaign led by Elon Musk on X.

Musk, who Trump has tasked with cutting government spending in his future administration, lobbied heavily against the existing deal posting repeatedly against the bill, often with false statements. Congress, after backpedaling, finally passed a bill that did not include the raising of the debt ceiling that Trump wanted.)

“After a chaotic few days in the House, it’s good news that the bipartisan approach in the end prevailed. It’s a good lesson for next year. Both sides have to work together,” he added.

The final bill came together quickly after days of uncertainty, during which many lawmakers feared they were careening toward an inevitable shutdown.

Speaker Mike Johnson  (R-La.) was forced to cycle through a number of proposals. A bipartisan, bicameral, 1,547-page deal rolled out on Tuesday collapsed when President-elect Trump announced he wouldn’t support it and demanded any funding plan include a suspension of the debt ceiling.

Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) fired an early shot at Johnson by announcing that he would not vote for him to serve another two years as Speaker.

The Senate did not play an active role in negotiations after House conservatives and rank-and-file Republicans torpedoed the initial deal, which took weeks to hammer out.

Lawmakers breathed a sigh of relief after it finally passed. But the close brush with a crippling shutdown left some Republicans wondering what chaos might be in store next year, when Republicans will control an even smaller House majority, and Trump is in office.

Under the proposal, the 118-page bill contains most of the provisions that were put in place in the bipartisan bill that was agreed to on Wednesday. The bill includes $100 billion for disaster aid, $30 billion for farmers and a one-year extension of the farm bill, provisions that were under heavy debate prior to this week's votes.

23 comments:

Ringo Salas said...

The pendulum will swing back - it always does.

Anonymous said...

Not entirely, Montoya. The Democrats didn't get all the pork they wanted in the first resolution either.

Anonymous said...

The top 1% were given tax breaks the first term. How about giving the rest
of us taxpayers a break this time? Fat chance. The orange blob will
enrich his friends and himself. MAGAs are just pawns. Stupid ones.

ERASMO JON said...

You got that shit right.

Anonymous said...

No victory here, just continued waste.

Anonymous said...

You are so wrong. Other than disaster relief for Republican states there was no additional spending. The only difference is no pay raise. Elon and his billions is batting zero

Anonymous said...

President Musk & VP Trump didn’t get their gov’t shutdown or the debt ceiling risen or eliminated. This is just a peek of what a Musk/trump administration will be like. They will be coming for your Social Security and OBAMACARE and permanent tax-cuts for their rich donors & corporations.

Anonymous said...

I am happy that government workers will have their own money to spend. At the end of the day both sides compromised. Having the heart to see "the people" suffering is not cool. This shit of having people do their job with a smile on their face and delayed pay is horrible.

Anonymous said...

That's not how the real news sites see it...

https://www.breitbart.com/2024-election/2024/12/20/art-of-the-deal-maga-revolt-slashes-original-1547-page-spending-bill-to-118/

You need to look at it from the perpespective of a winner. Not from the perspective of an America hating loser, like the Democrats.

Anonymous said...

in the end the price of beans y harina will go up, so who's gonna buy all this shit if there will no longer be mescans in the great country of USA? WHO? PINCHES PENDEJOS!

Anonymous said...

racist republicans effort to this turn this country into an all white (kkk) nation adios pinches COCOS mamones.

Anonymous said...

in the end this nation will be black and brown all whites will go back to cockroach europe. adios idiotas.

Anonymous said...

Trump hated American after his election loss. The loss he denied for 4 years.
The only fair election for him is one that he wins. Get rid of the Electoral College. Do away with gerrymandering. Make every vote count.

Anonymous said...

Breitbart? Real news?

Get real Dude.

Republicans 118 page CR included $90 million for trump’s inauguration BUT cut $190 million for pediatric Cancer Research.

The cancer funds were put back in by Dems in the U.S. Senate CR bill.
https://www.rawstory.com/trump-cancer-research/

Anonymous said...

It's NOT business as usual. If I had Elon money and in good hands it can change the world for better. We have already seen what Soros money can do.
I'm 💯 % sure Brownville politicians will bend backwards for a few thousand dollars! It's a win win for Republicans!!! Democrats can now see what we have seen for the last 30 years. I shouldn't say Republicans because it's MAGA. Democrats and Republicans are basically a uniparty. The same

Anonymous said...

That's Whitey's biggest fear, being outnumbered here.

Anonymous said...

But they ( MAGA) get upset and even feel offended when the truth is pointed out. Trump and his cronies will only look after themselves. Trump got their vote and now he will throw everyone under the bus.

Anonymous said...

Which country? The one that almost half belonged to MEXICO , you bigot!!

Anonymous said...

The top 1% pays more in taxes than the common man.

Anonymous said...

What do democratic voters know about truth? The democratic party is a party of lies.

Anonymous said...

Government workers suffering? Only government employees can afford nice homes, cars and boats. The rest of us just waiting for a handout.

Anonymous said...

Trump wants the Panama Canal back. Wants to make Canada the 51st state. Wants to send our military into Mexico to fight the cartels. Will be assisting in
the attack on Iran. This is the anti-war president?

Anonymous said...

8:09 The federal governments forfeits billions each year from preferential
tax rules that mostly benefit high-income taxpayers.

rita