WASHINGTON D.C.—A government shutdown could occur on Saturday, December 21 unless Democrats and Republicans agree to a new federal spending bill that requires Congressional approval by Friday, December 20, just before midnight.
The government’s current federal spending bill is set to expire on December 21 at midnight unless. Congressional leaders presented a stopgap measure Thursday that would have extended funding out through March 14 but after House Speaker Mike Johnson, incoming President Donald Trump, and billionaire Elon Musk – who contributed close to $300 million to Trump’s campaign – voiced their opposition that option has since been scrapped. Republicans voiced the billions of dollars in spending that had been added to the 1,600 page bill as the primary reason for their opposition.
Some of these add-ons include $110.4 billion in disaster aid, $29 billion for FEMA’s disaster relief fund, $8 billion for highways and roads, $12 billion for Community Development Block grants, $21 billion for disaster relief for farmers, $10 billion for economic assistance for farmers, as well as funding to rebuild the Baltimore Bridge, raise the pay for members of Congress, reforms healthcare policies, addresses drone threats, requires hotel and ticket vendor to be more transparent, and transfer ownership of the RFK Memorial Stadium to the District of Columbia.
Republicans presented a spending bill of their own which is significantly shorter – 116 pages compared to the 1,547 House Democrats were backing – with the bill calling for an abolishment, or suspension, of the national the debt ceiling.
Congress needs to come to an agreement by Friday, December 20 by 11:59 p.m. to avoid a government shutdown.
Incoming President Donald Trump took to X Thursday calling the Republican bill a “very good deal for American People” continuing that:
“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,” wrote Trump. “A very important piece, vital to the American First Agenda, was added as well – 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.”
Trump urged both Republicans and Democrats alike to do, what he said is, “what’s best for our country” and vote yes on the bill tonight.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson also chimed in stating Republicans cannot “allow millions of Americans devastated by the historic hurricane season, or our struggling farmers, go without the help they desperately need.”
“We will decide FY25 spending in March, when Trump is back in the WH and Republicans control the Senate and House,” said Johnson Thursday.
On the other side of the aisle, Congressman Rick Larsen (WA-02)’s office, said a Republican government shutdown would hurt working families, damage the economy, interrupt vital services, endanger national security, and force millions of our troops and government employees to work without pay.
“Who is in charge of the U.S. House of Representatives? Is it Elon Musk, the billionaire? Is it President-elect Trump, the person who is not yet President? I ask that question because Republicans, under the direction of a cosplaying President Elon Musk and a very confused President-yet-to-be Trump have pulled out of the bipartisan funding agreement to keep the government funded,” said Rep. Larsen. “Congress needs to pass this bill to keep government operating and send this bill to President Biden’s desk where it can be signed into law. If we don’t do that the government will shut down and if the government shuts down it will clearly be on the hands of the Republicans.”
Rep. Larsen continued that a shutdown would be “devastating” for the communities he represents.
Just some examples of how a potential shutdown could impact Snohomish County include approximately 8,945 people, including 1,455 infants and 4,295 children, losing access to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits, and approximately 9,118 federal workers in the region being furloughed or forced to work without pay, in addition to the many employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed, or see hours cut.
Potential impacts of a government shutdown for Washingtonians
In Washington State, if House Republicans shut down the government, it could mean the following impacts according to Rep. Larsen:
– 79,336 active duty and reserve personnel serving our nation’s armed forces in Washington would be forced to go without the pay they earn during a shutdown.
– The Small Business Administration would stop processing small business loans, halting a program that provides $879,244,500 in funding to small businesses in Washington every year.
– 49,528 people flying through Washington airports every day would face potential delays and safety concerns due to staffing impacts on TSA agents and air traffic controllers.
– 130,962 people in Washington would lose access to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits in a prolonged shutdown.
– 63,606 federal workers in Washington would be furloughed or forced to work without pay during a total government shutdown, in addition to the many employees of businesses with government contracts who could be laid off, furloughed, or see their hours cut.
Workers at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) would be sidelined, risking interruptions and delays to the 331 food safety, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and other inspections conducted in Washington last year.
– The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing housing loans, which provide $149,724,314 in funding to help 503 families in rural Washington communities buy homes every year.
– The Department of Agriculture would be forced to stop processing farm loans which provide $69,946,000 in funding for farmers in Washington every year.
– 891,573 Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beneficiaries in Washington would lose access to benefits in a prolonged shutdown.
– 8,043,387 people who visit national parks in Washington every year would be turned away or unable to fully access parks, monuments, and museums.
Author: Kienan Briscoe
