JD Vance delivered a sharp rebuke of Democrats after nearly all of them voted against the American Relief Act of 2024, a government funding bill backed by President Trump.
The legislation was introduced after the MAGA base rejected a previous 1,547-page continuing resolution (CR), criticizing Speaker Mike Johnson for advancing what they described as an “America Last” funding bill. The new proposal garnered Trump’s full endorsement, with the former president declaring it “VITAL to the America First Agenda” and urging Congress to support it. Despite his plea, 38 Republicans joined the opposition, citing concerns over the spending framework.
In explaining his “no” vote, Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) expressed concern about unsustainable government spending. “As of today, we’re spending at a $2.23 trillion rate. That is not sustainable, and we will end up collapsing the entire country as a result of this spending,” Mills told The Gateway Pundit in an exclusive interview. He emphasized the need to implement Trump’s agenda responsibly.
Trump remained optimistic, rallying lawmakers with promises of significant budget reductions next year. He wrote on Truth Social, “The United States will cut Hundreds of Billions of Dollars in spending next year through Reconciliation!”
Democrats, meanwhile, overwhelmingly voted against the measure, claiming the revised CR was a ploy to set up a government shutdown. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries alleged, “The bill that is before us today is just part of an effort to shut down the government.” Despite these claims, the proposal included provisions for disaster relief, military funding, and support for farmers, while steering clear of contentious Democratic priorities like a proposed congressional salary hike.
As previously reported, the original CR would have included several controversial items, such as:
• A $69,000 annual pay raise for members of Congress.
• $900 million for a new football stadium in Washington, D.C.
• Funding for 12 new biolabs.
• Provisions for “Pandemic Preparedness and Response” policies.
• Renewal of the Global Engagement Center (GEC), widely criticized for its involvement in censorship under the guise of combating misinformation.
Highlighting the GEC’s renewal, Vance lambasted Democrats for prioritizing what he described as a global censorship agenda. “The Democrats just voted to shut down the government even though we had a clean CR because they didn’t want to give the President negotiating leverage during the first year of his first term,” he said. “And because they would rather shut down the government and fight for global censorship bullsh*t.”
The Senate is expected to reconvene Friday to pass a solution before the funding deadline of 11:59 pm, but Vance’s pointed remarks underscored the growing divisions within Washington.
Vance: “Look, I’ll say one thing: The Democrats just voted to shut down the government even though we had a clean CR because they didn’t want to give the President negotiating leverage during the first year of his first term. And number two, because they would rather shut down the government and fight for global censorship bullsh*t. They’ve asked for a shutdown, and I think that’s exactly what they’re going to get.”
