House Republicans have reached an agreement on a plan B to avert a government shutdown ahead of Friday’s deadline and plan to vote on Thursday, lawmakers announced.
The plan, two sources told The Hill, includes a three-month continuing resolution and a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling, after President-elect Trump called on lawmakers to lift the borrowing limit on Wednesday.
The legislation would also include roughly $100 billion in disaster relief and about $10 billion for farmer economic assistance, the sources said, in line with the amounts appropriated in the congressional agreement earlier this week.
In a break from that package, however, language that would provide lawmakers with a pay raise was removed. The legislation also will not contain the E15 ethanol provision.
The agreement also includes a one-year extension of the 2018 farm bill and extensions for some health programs — but will not include proposed changes dealing with how pharmacy benefit managers operate, sources told The Hill.
One source said the bill will be title the American Relief Act.
Top House Republicans told reporters they plan to vote on the agreement on Thursday, as Friday’s shutdown deadline rapidly approaches. It remains unclear, however, if the legislation will muster enough support to pass.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) wrote on social media earlier Thursday that the prospect of raising the debt ceiling at this juncture is a “hard pass.” And even some Republicans teed off on the agreement quickly after details leaked: Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) called it a “bad deal.”
The plan B comes after President-elect Trump torpedoed Johnson’s initial funding proposal that he had negotiated with Democrats, sending Republicans back to square one as Friday’s shutdown deadline quickly approaches.
Trump quickly touted the new deal, writing on Truth Social, “SUCCESS in Washington!”
“Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal for the American People. 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,” he wrote. “A VERY important piece, VITAL to the America 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.”
Updated at 4:14 p.m.
