The final text of the measure has not yet been released, as congressional leaders work through the remaining hangups ahead of Friday’s funding deadline. But as the package begins to come into clear focus, Republicans of all stripes — including hard-line conservatives, committee chairs and moderates — are hammering away at Johnson for its contents, the process he followed to craft it, and how he plans to bring it to the floor for a vote.
“It’s a total dumpster fire. I think it’s garbage,” said Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. “This is what Washington, D.C., has done. This is why I ran for Congress, to try to stop this. And sadly, this is happening again.”
“We get this negotiated crap, and we’re forced to eat this crap sandwich,” echoed Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), another Freedom Caucus member. “Why? Because freaking Christmas is right around the corner. It’s the same dang thing every year. Legislate by crisis, legislate by calendar. Not legislate because it’s the right thing to do.”
Johnson received an earful of criticism during a closed-door House GOP conference meeting Tuesday, where he briefed members on the emerging details of the government funding package.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/house-republicans-fume-speaker-johnson-162811403.html
Top lawmakers unveil ‘Christmas-tree’ funding bill with $100B for disasters
The package sets a new March funding deadline, restricts U.S. investments in China, renews expiring health programs, OKs increased sales of ethanol fuel and extends the farm bill through September.
Congressional leaders released bill text Tuesday night that would fund the federal government into March, hitched to more than $100 billion in disaster aid and a slew of last-ditch policy bills as lawmakers prepare to leave town for the holidays.
Racing to avert a government shutdown Friday night before fleeing the Capitol until January, lawmakers have again turned their year-end funding bill into the proverbial “Christmas tree” measure, ornamented with a variety of unrelated legislation they want to clear in the final days of the current session of Congress. That includes a bill to renew expiring health care programs, a measure to restrict U.S. investments in China and a one-year extension of the annual “farm bill” that sets agriculture and food policy.
Speaker Mike Johnson bristled Tuesday at the classic nickname for Congress’ catch-all December package: “It’s not a Christmas tree.”
https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/12/17/congress/stopgap-spending-bill-text-out-00194959
The bill:
https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/CR.pdf