The US House of Representatives is rejecting spending bills as the US moves closer to a partial government shutdown.
The United States House of Representatives has rejected a spending bill sponsored by President-elect Donald Trump, raising the possibility of a government shutdown as millions of Americans prepare to travel during the holiday season.
The bill was voted 174 to 235 on Thursday evening following the opposition of almost all Democrats and 38 hard-right Republicans, who made a rare move to criticize the president-elect's proposal because it has added billions of dollars to $36 trillion. national debt.
The Republican-led bill was a last-ditch effort to avert a government shutdown after earlier spending bills were scrapped at the 11th hour. Trump's oppositionVice President-elect JD Vance and tech mogul Elon Musk.
The original spending bill, which was negotiated by Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, had bipartisan support until Trump demanded that lawmakers repeal the bill or repeal it before taking office on January 20.
With weeks to go until his inauguration, Trump is believed to be keen to avoid a debt fight that could undermine his proposed tax cuts and border protection, which would require billions of dollars in borrowed money.
The bill approved by Trump would have extended federal spending for three months, delayed the debt until 2027, and set aside $110bn for disaster relief.
Ahead of Thursday's vote, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Trump's proposed legislation as “not great” and “ridiculous”.
“MAGA Republicans are running us out to shut down the government,” Jeffries said.
Republicans also criticized the bill, citing concerns about excessive spending.
“I'm not going to vote for another debt settlement without knowing what the actual cuts will be. It's a non-starter,” Representative Chip Roy, a Republican, told US media.
Johnson said after the vote failed that his party would reform and “bring in another solution”.
“So stay alert,” he told reporters.
Without a plan, the US government will begin a partial shutdown starting Friday at midnight, when the current money supply runs out.
A shutdown would mean more than 2 million federal workers would not receive a paycheck before the US holiday season, and would cut US government budgets from the National Park Service.
For non-government workers, the layoff could mean long lines at the airport during what is already the busiest time of the year.
Some airport workers, such as air traffic controllers, may be required to continue working without pay, but the Federal Aviation Administration has said it will have to cut 17,000 jobs.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which has all but 3,000 of its 62,000 employees considered “essential”, has warned of possible delays.
“While our staff is prepared to handle the high volume of travelers and ensure their smooth journey, please be aware that temporary delays can result in long waits at airports,” TSA Administrator David Pekoske said in a tweet on X.