President Donald Trump challenged Democrats over rumors of a government shutdown, suggesting that they might fail to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government.
“House Democrats want a SHUTDOWN for the holidays in order to distract from the very popular, just passed, Tax Cuts,” Trump wrote on Twitter. “House Republicans, don’t let this happen. Pass the C.R. TODAY and keep our Government OPEN!”
Republicans do not have a firm solution to prevent a shutdown, despite promises from leaders that it will not occur.
“I don’t see a shutdown happening,” Freedom Caucus chairman Mark Meadows said in an interview on CNN. “We were negotiating into the late hours to make sure that we at least have 218 votes on the House side and send it over to the Senate hopefully as early as today.”
Funding for the government ends on Friday after Congress passed a short continuing resolution in September which was a plan favored by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and agreed to by Trump.
On December 7th, Congress passed a two-week extension to keep the government open until December 22.
The latest plan from House leaders proposes a new funding extension that will fund the government through January 19.