Floating a new plan, Speaker Johnson insists there will be no government shutdown
Veering toward a midnight government shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson is proposing a new plan
WASHINGTON (AP) — Veering toward a midnight Friday government shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson is proposing a new plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, but punts President-elect Donald Trump demands for a debt limit increase into the new year.
House Republicans have been meeting behind closed doors on next steps after Trump doubled-down on his insistence that a debt ceiling increase be included in any deal — and if not, he said in an early morning post, let the closures “start now.”
“We will not have a government shutdown,” Johnson said as he left the basement session at the Capitol.
Johnson declined to disclose the new idea under consideration but lawmakers said it would fund the government at current levels through March and adds $100 billion in disaster aid and $10 billion in agricultural assistance to farmers.
