(Adnkronos) – The House of Representatives in Washington has rejected by a large majority a new budget proposal supported by President-elect Donald Trump aimed at avoiding a federal government shutdown. The vote recorded 174 'yes' and 235 'no', below the two-thirds threshold needed for approval. Nearly 40 Republicans voted against the law and at least two Democrats voted for it, according to CNN.
The bill failed because Democrats and some Republicans rejected House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, last-minute inclusion of a two-year suspension of the debt limit, a request made by Trump.
The newly voted text aimed to guarantee government funding funded until March 14, also allocating around $100 billion in disaster aid and another $10 billion for economic aid to farmers.
Trump had invited Republicans and Democrats to vote in favor, calling the text a 'success' that would “bring relief to those who have been seriously affected by the devastating hurricanes.” After the 'no' vote, the vice president-elect JD. Vance blamed Democrats for failing to avoid a government shutdown, arguing they are trying to prevent the president-elect from “having negotiating leverage” during his first year in office.
The White House denounced through its spokeswoman, Karine Jean-Pierre, that Republicans “who respond to the orders of their billionaire benefactors at the expense of hard-working Americans” and “are going back on their word to support a bipartisan agreement.”
“They are introducing a bill that paves the way for tax cuts for billionaires, while cutting critical programs that working families rely on,” he lamented. President Joe Biden, he added, “supports the bipartisan deal to keep the government open, help communities recovering from disasters and reduce costs, not this giveaway to billionaires that Republicans are proposing at the last minute.”
