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Government shutdown live updates: Focus turns to Senate after House OKs spending bill

The deal does not include a provision to raise the debt limit.

ByLauren Peller, John Parkinson, and Ivan Pereira
Last Updated: December 20, 2024, 5:46 PM EST

With a government shutdown narrowly avoided Friday night, the House passed a funding bill which is awaiting Senate approval and President Joe Biden's signature.

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.

Under the House proposal, the 118-page bill contains most of the provisions that were put in place in the bipartisan bill that was agreed to on Wednesday. The bill includes $100 billion for disaster aid, $30 billion for farmers and a one-year extension of the farm bill, provisions that were under heavy debate prior to this week's votes.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing:
Dec 19, 2024, 8:15 PM EST

Johnson says GOP will 'regroup' and come up with another plan

Speaker Mike Johnson huddled with fellow Republicans for nearly an hour inside the House chamber after the failed vote before emerging and telling reporters that Republicans would "regroup" and "come up with another solution."

There are no more votes expected in the House Thursday night, Majority Leader Steve Scalise announced.

"The only difference on this legislation was that we would push the debt ceiling to January of 2027," Johnson said. "I want you all to remember that it was just last spring that the same Democrats berated Republicans and said that it was irresponsible to hold the debt limit, the debt ceiling, hostage. What changed?"

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson speaks to the media during a vote on a revised continuing resolution bill at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 19, 2024.
Allison Robbert/AFP via Getty Images

Johnson expressed dismay – calling it "very disappointing" that Democrats opposed the vote – though he did not address the 38 Republicans who also voted against it.

"It is, I think, really irresponsible for us to risk a shutdown over these issues on things that they have already agreed upon," Johnson said. "I think you need to be asking them the questions about that. We will regroup and we will come up with another solution. So stay tuned."

-ABC News' John Parkinson, Benjamin Siegel, Lauren Peller, Jay O'Brien and Emily Chang

Dec 19, 2024, 7:55 PM EST

Vance blames Democrats for funding bill failure

Vice President-elect JD Vance laid blame on Democrats for the pending government shutdown while speaking with reporters Thursday evening.

"The Democrats just voted to shut down the government even though we had a clean CR [because] they didn’t want to give the president negotiating leverage during the first year of his new term," Vance said.

"And number two, because they would rather shut down the government and fight for global censorship bull----, they’ve asked for a shutdown, and I think that’s exactly what they’re going to get.”

Vance did not mention the 38 GOP House members who also rejected the bill.

-ABC News' Mariam Khan

Dec 19, 2024, 7:43 PM EST

Next steps unclear after funding bill fails

It’s unclear what will happen next now that the Trump-backed government funding bill failed to clear the House.

Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to emerge from the chamber.

The House is in recess subject to the call of the Chair.

“Please stay tuned for additional information,” the majority leader advised.

Dec 19, 2024, 7:13 PM EST

Jeffries reacts to failed Republican bill

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted a statement on Bluesky following the failed vote which he labeled "The Musk-Johnson government shutdown bill."

"MAGA extremists in the House GOP are not serious about helping working-class Americans. They are simply doing the bidding of their wealthy donors and puppeteers. Unacceptable," he wrote.

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