US Funding Plan Fails With Less Than 24 Hours to Shutdown

What’s the cost of defying Donald Trump? For small group of Republicans, it’s a US government shutdown. The House rejected a temporary funding plan backed by the President-elect with just about a day to go before a government shutdown, after 38 Republicans rejected it in defiance. It’s clearly a test of the incoming president’s power. Along with Elon Musk, now a key adviser to the disruptor-in-chief, he had sought to get his party to scrap an earlier deal. It’s an odd situation, with Trump insisting on a provision waiving or raising the federal debt ceiling before he takes office, something that Republicans have long rejected on principle. “We will regroup and we will come up with another solution,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said after the vote. Government funding will lapse Friday night without congressional action.

Shutdowns are complicated. Most immediately, thousands of US government workers are furloughed, most without pay while it lasts. Taxpayers won’t get calls returned, and there may be longer lines at airports during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Many national parks will close. Even so, many of the routine functions of government — national defense, benefit checks and mail delivery — continue as usual. All of this comes, ultimately, at a cost.