ABC News - Lawmakers race to avert government shutdown ahead of midnight deadline
Lawmakers are in a race against time to prevent a government shutdown as a bipartisan deal to keep the government running was derailed by President-elect Trump's opposition. Trump demanded changes to the debt ceiling, which led to the failure of a Trump-backed deal in the House, with 38 Republicans voting against it. The proposed deal would have temporarily funded the government through March and included $10 billion in disaster aid, but Trump's insistence on raising or eliminating the debt ceiling caused significant opposition. This situation has left millions of federal employees uncertain about their paychecks, especially during the holiday season. The potential shutdown could also lead to longer wait times at airports, affecting an estimated 40 million travelers. Trump's focus on the debt ceiling is to avoid economic turmoil early in his presidency, as he fears hitting the debt ceiling could lead to severe economic consequences similar to the 1929 depression.
Key Points:
- A bipartisan deal to prevent a government shutdown was blocked by President-elect Trump, who demanded changes to the debt ceiling.
- A Trump-backed deal failed in the House as 38 Republicans voted against it, leaving the government at risk of a shutdown.
- The failed deal included temporary government funding and $10 billion in disaster aid, but was opposed due to debt ceiling demands.
- A government shutdown could affect millions of federal employees and travelers, with potential economic consequences.
- Trump aims to avoid early economic challenges in his presidency by addressing the debt ceiling issue.