House GOP Finalizes Plan B for Vote
House Republicans reached a deal on Plan B on Thursday, narrowly avoiding a potential government shutdown before the Friday deadline.
House Republicans finalized an agreement on plan B Thursday, just ahead of the Friday deadline, averting a possible government shutdown.
The Hill reported that the lawmakers will vote on Thursday on the so-called "American Relief Act." The plan will reportedly be a three-month continuing resolution, along with a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling at the behest of President-elect Trump.
The package would consist of $100 billion in disaster relief and approximately $10 billion in farming economic assistance, according to various sources. The expected pay raise for lawmakers was removed from the brief against the wishes of Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas. The legislation regarding the E15 ethanol provision was also removed.
🚨 NEW: DC sources tell me that @DanCrenshawTX is spearheading the effort to get a pay raise for Congress
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 18, 2024
Last week when he was asked about his stock trading, Crenshaw whined that members of Congress haven’t had a pay raise since 2009.
Crenshaw ALMOST got his way, with a pay… pic.twitter.com/YToGixSDb5
Within the agreement is a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill with additional provisions to some health programs.
Although the vote for the plan will be held on Thursday, it is unclear if it has enough support to pass. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-NY, posted on X that raising the debt ceiling is a "hard pass." Some Republicans, like Texas Rep. Chip Roy, agreed with the sentiment, calling it a "bad deal."
House Republicans have been ordered by right-wing extremists to shut down the government.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) December 19, 2024
Who will be hurt?
The American people. pic.twitter.com/95s12wxd18
The plan B was torched by President-elect Trump, who refused the Speaker's initial funding proposal negotiated with Democrats. This has put Republicans in a rush to complete it before the shutdown deadline.
On Truth Social, Trump touted the proposal as a "VITAL to the America First Agenda." He continued by saying:
“... The newly agreed to American Relief Act of 2024 will keep the Government open, fund our Great Farmers and others, and provide relief for those severely impacted by the devastating hurricanes. .. The date of the very unnecessary Debt Ceiling will be pushed out two years, to January 30, 2027. Now we can Make America Great Again, very quickly, which is what the People gave us a mandate to accomplish.”
