In a high-stakes vote on Thursday, the House of Representatives rejected Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) backup plan to prevent a government shutdown and suspend the debt ceiling. The proposal, introduced just three hours before the vote, failed 174-235-1, falling far short of the two-thirds majority needed for passage under a fast-track process.
The setback leaves Congress scrambling to find a solution before the government runs out of funding at midnight on Friday, with lawmakers effectively back to square one.
The Proposal and Its Fallout
Johnson’s plan would have:
Kept the government funded at current levels through March 14.
Suspended the debt ceiling for two years.
Allocated $100 billion for disaster relief and $10 billion in farmer economic assistance.
It also stripped away many of the policy provisions in an earlier, more comprehensive 1,500-page deal.
While the proposal received former President Donald Trump’s endorsement, it faced swift opposition from both Democrats and conservative Republicans. Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), derided the plan, with Jeffries labeling it “laughable.” During a closed-door caucus meeting, Democrats reportedly chanted “hell no” in unison.
On the Republican side, members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus bristled at the bill’s inclusion of a two-year debt ceiling suspension, a concession demanded by Trump. Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) lambasted the measure on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “HARD NO” for increasing the nation’s borrowing limit without curbing spending.
Republican Discord and Trump’s Role
Johnson had rolled out the plan after hours of negotiations with House Republicans from across the ideological spectrum. The plan’s swift rejection highlights the deep fractures within the GOP, exacerbated by Trump’s last-minute intervention.
Earlier in the week, Trump had helped derail a bipartisan funding proposal by opposing its terms, forcing Johnson and House Republicans to regroup. Trump endorsed the Plan B package, calling it “a very good Deal for the American people,” but his support failed to unify the GOP.
What’s Next?
The failed vote leaves House leadership with few immediate options. Speaker Johnson has not yet announced his next steps, but time is running out. If Congress does not pass a funding bill by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, the government will shut down.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) said leadership does not currently plan to send the bill to the Rules Committee for consideration under a simple majority process. “Not on this bill … not right now,” Scalise told reporters, adding that discussions are ongoing.
The looming shutdown puts additional pressure on Johnson, who faces the challenge of maintaining control over his fractured caucus. His political future as Speaker could also be at stake, with his leadership under scrutiny heading into 2024.
Broader Implications
The failed vote is the latest development in a chaotic week of government funding negotiations. Johnson’s inability to secure Republican consensus underscores the challenges of governing with a slim majority, compounded by Trump’s outsized influence on party decisions.
