S© Steve Heaslip/Cape Cod Times / USA TODAY NETWORK
(Washington, DC) — Congress announced Tuesday (Dec. 17, 2024) that a deal had been reached to keep the government open through March, but Republicans rejected it after President-elect Donald Trump released a statement lambasting the bill. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says the decision will hurt everyday Americans across the country, noting that the deal had disaster relief funds and assistance for families and veterans. He added that Republicans will have to own any harm done by the government shutdown.
Trump and his running mate JD Vance have released a joint statement criticizing the bill. Their statement told Republicans to toughen up against Democrats and “call their bluff.” Surprisingly Trump also demanded the bill include a debt ceiling increase, which neither party had been considering in the bill, saying it’s “not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch.”
