House Minority Leader Jeffries (D-NY) Called Bill “Laughable”
Democrats baulked at the American Relief Act, a 166-page funding agreement drafted by Republicans on Thursday as the Friday deadline looms for a government shutdown. The rejection of the new bill comes after President Elect Trump and Republicans refused to support a 1500-page bipartisan deal earlier this week, which was said to include a fat pay raise for Congress.
House Republicans agreed on “Plan B,” or the “American Relief Act,’ in an effort to avert the looming shutdown and get aide to desperate Americans. The bill included a suspension of the debt limit for 2 years and ongoing government funding for disasters and farms for at least 3 months. The pay raise for Congress was removed.
As of today, Democrats are still in control of the White House and the Senate, making it difficult for Republicans to get their ideas passed.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) quickly created plan B, keeping a good bit of the original bipartisan provisions, according to The Hill. But Jeffries was quick to mock the proposed relief package, saying, “The Musk-Johnson proposal is not serious – it’s laughable. Extreme MAGA Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown.” The 6:30pm vote seemed to echo his sentiments.
President Elect Trump stood in firm support of the new deal, asking lawmakers to vote against more government spending like paydays for Congress, and in favor of Americans who need the disaster relief. The House, instead, rejected the bill.
