Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has crafted a replacement spending bill to prevent a government shutdown at 12:01 AM on Saturday. The proposal, driven by Donald Trump’s demands, is being viewed by some as a test of loyalty to the President-elect. To pass, the bill will require substantial bipartisan support, including a two-thirds majority in Thursday night’s planned vote — a feat that appears unlikely given the opposition within the Democratic caucus.
Some on both sides of the aisle are opposed to Trump's demand that the bill include a provision that would eliminate or extend the debt ceiling. The legislation extends it into 2027, forcing the party that will be in charge after the November 2026 midterms to deal with it once again.
"A pretty clean test is coming of Trump's sway with Republicans," reports Punchbowl News' Jake Sherman, referring to how many in the GOP will vote for the bill.
"He blew up a deal," Sherman noted. "They came up with a new deal...And now let's see if Republicans vote for it!"
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The bill is widely expected to fail Thursday night, according to CNN and others, but it is expected to serve as a loyalty list to Trump. Politico columnist Jonathan Martin earlier Thursday called the debt ceiling increase a "Maga loyalty test."
"Trump’s government shutdown threat is a loyalty test for GOP lawmakers," New York Magazine wrote on social media. "Trump is now demanding that his supporters back a new spending bill and debt limit increase they will hate."
Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, on his way into the meeting with his caucus Thursday afternoon, called the newly retooled legislation "laughable," and blamed "Extreme MAGA Republicans" for "driving us to a government shutdown."
In addition to kicking the can down the road on the debt limit, changes to the bill include gutting a critical program for childhood cancer research, according to The Bulwark's Sam Stein.
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Democrats appeared to be largely in agreement with Jeffries, and opposed to the bill.
Spectrum News' Cassie Semyon reports Democrats are "unified" against it.
“I’m not simply a no. I’m a hell no,” Leader Jeffries told his members, Politico's Nicholas Wu reported.
"Chant of 'hell no' and a round of cheers can be heard from outside the closed doors of House Democratic caucus meeting," CBS News's Scott MacFarlane reported at 4:45 PM.
But even Speaker Johnson is expected to have trouble getting all his members to vote to pass the legislation.
Republican U.S. Representatives Andy Ogles of Tennessee and Ralph Norman of South Carolina, both members of the far-right Freedom Caucus, told Punchbowl News' Melanie Zanona "they are a NO on the new CR deal. Both cited concerns with the two year suspension of the debt ceiling."
Trump attacked two other House Republicans, who are saying they are not voting for the bill.
U.S. Rep. Bob Good, the former chair of the Freedom Caucus who lost his primary this year after first backing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis over Donald Trump, and was mocked earlier this afternoon by Trump, told Zanona “of course not” when asked if he will vote for the continuing resolution.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX), another House Republican Trump targeted on Thursday, blasted the bill over the debt limit provision.
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