House lawmakers are currently in negotiations for a new government funding bill following President-elect Donald Trump's rejection of a bipartisan deal earlier this week. The deadline for Congress to agree on a funding bill and have it signed by President Joe Biden to avoid a government shutdown is looming at the end of Friday night.
President-elect Biden is urging Republicans to take a firm stance on spending by including a debt limit increase in the final text of the bill. Negotiations are primarily taking place in the House, with top appropriators in the Senate lacking guidance on the House's path forward at this critical hour.
Republican House lawmakers have described discussions in House Speaker Mike Johnson's office as collaborative, while House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is advocating for House Republicans to accept the original negotiated stopgap spending package. Some Democrats are framing the potential shutdown as the GOP's responsibility to resolve.
The government shutdown standoff has also raised questions about Johnson's potential speaker race, with uncertainties surrounding Trump's support and the loyalty of his followers. Jeffries emphasized that House Democrats will not vote to protect Johnson if he faces the risk of losing the gavel.
Conservatives, including Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, expressed skepticism about the continuing resolution even before its official publication. Musk's online criticism of the bill on Wednesday led to a rapid decline in support for the package, with some Democrats questioning Musk's influence and labeling him as a 'shadow president.'
Musk has further threatened to support primary candidates against any Republicans who vote for the original bill, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing negotiations.
