The House of Representatives has rejected the American Relief Act of 2024, a Trump-backed bill designed to keep the government running, provide funding for farmers, and offer relief to communities devastated by recent hurricanes.
The final vote tally was 174 in favor and 235 against, leaving the government’s fate uncertain as the Friday midnight funding deadline looms.
The bill’s rejection follows heated debates within the Republican Party and growing tension over government funding priorities.
The proposed legislation came to the floor after House Speaker Mike Johnson’s earlier 1,547-page continuing resolution was derailed by staunch opposition from conservative members of the MAGA movement, who labeled it an “America Last” funding bill.
That earlier resolution, which aimed to fund the government until March, was scrapped after backlash from prominent conservatives, including President Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.
Both criticized the bill for being bloated with Democrat-favored provisions and failing to serve the American people.
In a statement ahead of the vote, Trump and Vance demanded a “temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS,” emphasizing the need for fiscal responsibility and accountability.
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, heads of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), also voiced their opposition