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Government shutdown live updates: House approves new funding bill

The federal government is set to run out of money Friday night.

Last Updated: December 20, 2024, 5:46 PM EST

With a government shutdown deadline just hours away, Republican congressional leaders on Friday scrambled to come up with a third spending proposal.

An initial bipartisan deal was tanked earlier this week by President-elect Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk. Then on Thursday night, the House failed to pass a revamped plan that included Trump's explosive demand that the debt limit be extended.

Thousands of federal workers could have to work without pay if a shutdown ensues. Others could be furloughed and many government services could be affected.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing:
12:58 PM EST

White House says there's 'still time' to avert shutdown

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked if Americans should be prepared for the government to shut down.

"I think there's still time. We believe there's still time for that to not happen, for Republicans to do the right thing, to hold up their part of the deal and move forward with the bipartisan agreement," she said. "There's still time and our focus is keeping the government open. That's what we want to see. And we hope Republicans want to do that."

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington, Dec. 20, 2024.
Ben Curtis/AP

Asked if President Joe Biden would remain in Washington should a shutdown occur, Jean-Pierre rejected getting into hypotheticals.

"We believe, as I just said moments ago, there's still time to get to a bypass, to get to a deal here or move forward," she said.

Jean-Pierre noted, though, that agencies began notifying employees at noon on Friday of their potential furlough in preparation for a possible shutdown.

12:47 PM EST

Biden speaks with Democratic leaders ahead of potential shutdown: White House

President Joe Biden, who has yet to publicly weigh in on the funding battle, has been in touch with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Friday.

Jean-Pierre told reporters at the daily briefing that Biden has been getting regular updates about what's unfolding on Capitol Hill.

When pressed on why Biden hasn't spoken out himself, Jean-Pierre said Republicans bear the responsibility to fix this issue.

"Americans need to know that Republicans are getting in the way here, and they are the ones who have created this mess," she said. "That's the reality. That's the fact."

"This is not the first time we've been here, and the president has had this approach before. He understands how Congress works," she continued. "He's been around for some time. He understand what strategy works here to get this done."

12:20 PM EST

Johnson plans to propose individual votes on spending measures: Sources

House Republicans will meet behind closed doors at 12:30 p.m. ET to discuss a new plan to avert a government shutdown -- as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says the “lines of communication have been reopened” with Speaker Mike Johnson.

According to sources, Johnson plans to propose the House take several individual votes on pieces of the slimmed-down agreement that failed on the floor Thursday night, including a continuing resolution to fund the government through March 14, $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers and $100 billion in disaster relief.

Those are the core pillars of the bipartisan proposal that was tanked by Trump and Musk. It’s unclear whether Republicans will make another attempt to take up the debt limit -- Trump’s key demand -- in this latest round of votes.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks to reporters outside of the House Chambers in the U.S. Capitol, on Dec. 19, 2024, in Washington, D.C.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

-ABC News' John Parkinson, Lauren Peller, Ben Siegel, Jay O'Brien, Isabella Murray

10:59 AM EST

Elon Musk weighs in on spending battle

The Tesla billionaire and X owner is weighing in again as lawmakers search for an eleventh-hour solution.

"Either the government should pass sensible bills that actually serve the people or shut it down!" Musk wrote on X.

Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk listens as US President-elect Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with House Republicans at the Hyatt Regency hotel in Washington, Nov. 13, 2024.
Allison Robbert/POOL via Reuters, FILES

His post came shortly after Trump also urged the shutdown to "begin now" under the Biden administration rather than during his presidency if lawmakers were unable to come to an agreement.

The funding fight has been a forum for Musk to exert his political influence. Musk has become a key member of President-elect Donald Trump's inner circle, and played a role in torpedoing an original government spending plan that had bipartisan support.

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