This week’s dysfunction over federal government spending and a possible government shutdown is the latest in a series of conflicts between Republicans and Democrats on Capitol Hill and the White House over budget priorities.
However, this latest dilemma has been made more complicated not only by the presence of President-elect Donald Trump, but also by billionaire Elon Musk.
“Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!” tweeted Musk, slamming Congress for “government overspending,” on X Wednesday.
The crisis stems from Congress’s obligation under the U.S. Constitution to appropriate funds for federal programs, a bipartisan issue that has fought over where the dollar goes.
The US Capitol is reflected in a puddle on Capitol Hill in Washington, December 19, 2024.
Anna Rose Layden/Reuters
There have been 10 shutdowns in US history, half of which have occurred in the last 29 years. Sticking points that have led to these shutdowns have included education funding, the Affordable Care Act and immigration reform.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers were laid off and many services, such as the National Parks Service, were shut down during these periods.
The last shutdown was the longest in history and took place between December 22, 2018 and January 25, 2019.
In that shutdown, Congress was divided over Trump’s push to spend more money on his border wall. Ultimately, the Democratic-controlled House was able to pass a funding plan that did not include the former president’s request.
Since then, Democrats and Republicans in Congress have had several back-and-forths over spending that averted another shutdown. But many of those decisions came from short-term spending bills.
The latest agreement in September funded the government until 20 December.
Rep. Tom Emmer walks to Speaker Johnson’s office in the US Capitol in Washington on December 19, 2024.
Shawn Thew/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Over the past few days, House Republicans, who hold a slim majority, have pushed to pass another spending bill, but have been held up over additional dollars for federal programs and agencies.
House Speaker Mike Johnson had originally promised a clean bill that would only extend current levels of government aid to prevent a shutdown. However, a bill he introduced this week included $110 billion in emergency relief for Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Melton, as well as financial assistance for farmers.
Several GOP members had expressed frustration with the deal, but things escalated after Musk lashed out at Johnson and the proposal on X Wednesday.
House Minority Whip Katherine Clark during a press conference at the US Capitol, Washington, December 19, 2024.
Will Oliver/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Musk, who has been tapped by Trump to lead the Department of Government Efficiency outside advisory group under the new administration, called the bill “outrageous” and threatened lawmakers who voted for it.
Hours later, Trump issued a statement repeating that call against Johnson’s bill.
Rep. Andy Harris, chairman of the House Freedom Caucus, joins a group of conservative Republicans to talk about the interim spending bill designed to avoid a shutdown of federal agencies, at the Capitol in Washington, December 18, 2024.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP
The president-elect told ABC News his biggest concern was over the debt ceiling and pushed for a bill that would either remove or extend the limit on government borrowing.
The federal debt limit was last raised in 2023 and was not tied to a budget deal.
Under current law, the federal government will hit its borrowing limit sometime in the spring of 2025, during the first months of the second Trump presidency. However, Trump said he wants it taken care of now while Joe Biden is president, even if it causes a shutdown.
“Closings are only for the person who is president,” Trump said.
On Thursday night, another bill approved by House Republicans and backed by Trump failed to get the two-thirds majority needed to pass under suspension of the rules.
