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Amid widespread dissatisfaction within the Republican Party, the House of Representatives passed a slimmed-down budget bill late Friday night to keep the federal government operational.
The measure, House Speaker Mike Johnson’s third attempt to secure government funding through March 14, passed with a decisive 366-34 vote. According to The New York Times, all 34 opposing votes came from Republicans, while every Democrat supported the bill, except Representative Jasmine Crockett of Texas, who voted “present.”
A two-thirds majority was required to pass the bill under expedited House rules. It now heads to the Senate, where it is expected to pass before receiving President Joe Biden’s signature.
Speaker Mike Johnson’s Optimism
Ahead of the vote, Speaker Mike Johnson expressed confidence in the bill’s passage. Speaking to reporters, he emphasized its importance during the holiday season:
“We will not have a government shutdown, and we will meet our obligations for our farmers who need aid, for disaster victims all over the country, and for ensuring that military and essential services personnel relying on federal paychecks are compensated over the holidays,” Johnson said.
Despite earlier disagreements among House Republicans, Johnson insisted on party unity, stating, “We have a unified Republican conference. There is unanimous agreement in the room that we need to move forward.”
The package includes $100 billion for disaster aid, $10 billion for farmers, and an extension of the farm bill for another year.
Elon Musk Weighs In
Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, who criticized initial drafts of the budget, praised Speaker Johnson after the bill’s passage.
“The Speaker did a good job here, given the circumstances. It went from a bill that weighed pounds to a bill that weighed ounces. Ball should now be in the Dem court,” Musk wrote on X.
The Speaker did a good job here, given the circumstances.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 20, 2024
It went from a bill that weighed pounds to a bill that weighed ounces.
Ball should now be in the Dem court. https://t.co/KnSwLEjvjd
Preventing a Shutdown
The urgency of passing a budget was underscored by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who emphasized avoiding a government shutdown.
“I don’t care to count how many times I’ve reminded our House counterparts how harmful it is to shut the government down,” McConnell said. “You have a choice: Do nothing or try to find things you can agree on and do them together.”
With the bill’s expected approval, federal operations will continue uninterrupted, providing relief to government employees and constituents relying on federal assistance during the holiday season.
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