It's Dead (Again): Johnson's 2nd Funding Bill Bites Dust - Americans May Still Get Gov't Shutdown for Christmas

Discontent took center stage in the House on Thursday as another effort to avert a government shutdown failed.

Following the rejection of a large stopgap funding measure that angered conservatives, the House also struck down a narrower bill aimed at maintaining government operations and suspending the debt ceiling for two years, according to the Washington Times.

The measure failed by a vote of 174-235, with almost all House Democrats opposing it, joined by 38 Republicans.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries mocked Elon Musk’s influence in rallying opposition to the broader spending bill Democrats had supported. He referred to the defeated measure as the “Musk-Johnson” proposal, claiming Republicans were controlled by “one or two puppet masters,” as reported by The Washington Post.

Musk fired back on X, saying, “A super fair & simple bill was put to a vote and only 2 Democrats in Congress were in favor. Therefore, responsibility for the shutdown rests squarely on the shoulders of @RepJeffries.”

Without an approved spending measure, portions of the government deemed non-essential will shut down at midnight on Friday.

House Speaker Mike Johnson stated Thursday evening that another plan would be developed for a Friday vote, though he provided no specifics, according to the Post.

President-elect Donald Trump, who supported the rejected bill, argued that if a shutdown is inevitable, it should happen now.

“If there is going to be a shutdown of government, let it begin now, under the Biden Administration, not after January 20th, under ‘TRUMP.’ This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Fox News reported that a “temporary fix” was being negotiated to prevent the shutdown, though it would accomplish little beyond that.

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, a Republican from Florida, indicated that a vote might take place Friday morning.

“We’re expecting votes this morning,” Johnson said.

Trump has played an active role in rallying support for the bill, Fox News noted, citing unnamed sources.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has been notably absent from the discussions, Politico reported.

“Biden has remained conspicuously absent outside a brief statement issued by his press secretary — and for now, Democrats said there was little clamor for him to return,” the outlet wrote.

Democratic Rep. Mark Takano of California remarked, “I haven’t gotten any message from President Biden, or heard of anything that he’s saying. Elon’s the shot-caller, it’s pretty clear to me.”