The federal government narrowly averted a year-end shutdown after an 11th-hour effort in the GOP-controlled House of Representatives to cobble a bill that could pass the Democratic-run Senate and be signed by President Joe Biden. And President-elect Donald Trump narrowly succeeded in eliminating funding for pediatric cancer research.
In a Saturday interview on MSNBC, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-Texas) reminded host Ali Velshi and his viewers that House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) needed Democratic support in order to prevent a shutdown. She added that "every single [continuing resolution] has had to have Democrats provide the votes" as dozens of members of Johnson's own conference routinely go against him due to government spending concerns.
However, Crockett said one of the more shocking moments of the past week for her was an ultimately unsuccessful effort for Republicans to cut $190 million worth of funds appropriated for pediatric cancer research. While senators ended up unanimously re-inserting language into the final funding measure that secured passage of the Gabriela Miller Kids First Reearch Act 2.0, Crockett observed that Republicans were the ones to recommend axing it – while keeping other money set aside for Trump's inauguration.
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"There was $90 million on basically page one of the legislation that is for [Trump's] inauguration party," Crockett said. "The idea we would say it is okay for you to get $90 million for one day and then cut out $190 million for children when it comes to cancer research was absolutely mind-blowing."
"Thank you to the Democratically controlled Senate. On their way out of the majority, they decided they were going to do some good," she continued. "They made sure the funding got back in."
Technically, as Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-Wash. D.C.) noted, the $90 million was for emergency planning in the nation's capital, with $50 million of that money dedicated to Trump's inauguration itself. Though Republicans still rejected language that would have transferred control of Robert F. Kennedy stadium to D.C. authorities, which would have required zero federal spending.
Watch Crockett's segment below, or by clicking this link.
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