Trump Rejects Bipartisan Funding Proposal as Government Shutdown Approaches
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Washington, Dec 19 (NationPress) US President-elect Donald Trump has voiced strong opposition to a bipartisan funding proposal, as legislators are grappling with the urgent need to pass a stopgap bill to avoid a potential government shutdown. Trump stated in an interview with Fox News that he is "totally against" the proposed funding measure, jeopardizing the stopgap bill designed to keep the government operational until mid-March.
Congress faces a deadline of Friday night to avert a funding gap, following a continuing resolution passed in September that extended government funding until December 20, according to reports from the Xinhua news agency.
The newly introduced package, revealed on Tuesday, primarily aims to maintain the government’s current spending levels for the upcoming three months, granting lawmakers extra time to negotiate new spending legislation.
This package also encompasses $100 billion in disaster relief aimed at recovery from significant hurricanes and the recent collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, alongside a one-year extension of the farm bill which includes an additional $10 billion in support for farmers.
Some hardline members are opposing the stopgap bill, and with a narrow majority in the House, Republicans will once again require support from Democrats to secure government funding.
"We should implement a streamlined spending bill that does not concede everything to the Democrats," Vice President-elect and Senator JD Vance stated in a joint declaration with Trump.
"The only viable approach is through a temporary funding bill that excludes Democratic concessions, along with an increase in the debt ceiling," the statement emphasized, urging Democrats to collaborate on an immediate debt ceiling increase.
This latest declaration has sparked criticism from Democrats, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries stating, "House Republicans have been instructed to initiate a government shutdown, adversely affecting the working-class Americans they profess to support. If you breach the bipartisan agreement, you must accept the repercussions that follow," he expressed on the social media platform X.
