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 to the earlier resolution. Musk pointed out wasteful expenditures and criticized provisions that would give Congress significant pay raises and enhanced health insurance benefits.
Additionally, the bill included a controversial section granting the House office exclusive jurisdiction over its records, which critics argued would shield lawmakers from legal scrutiny. “This bill should not pass,” Musk stated, calling attention to its potential misuse of taxpayer dollars.
President Trump had championed the American Relief Act of 2024, calling it “VITAL to the America First Agenda.” In a Thursday statement, he urged all Republicans to unite and vote in favor of the legislation, which he argued would provide essential support for farmers and hurricane-impacted communities while averting a government shutdown.
Despite his call for unity, 38 Republicans voted against the bill, dealing a significant blow to Trump’s agenda. Among those opposing was Representative Chip Roy (R-TX), a vocal critic of the proposed legislation.
Trump did not hold back in his criticism of Roy, accusing him of obstructing Republican progress for personal gain.
“The very unpopular ‘Congressman’ from Texas, Chip Roy, is getting in the way, as usual, of having yet another Great Republican Victory – All for the sake of some cheap publicity for himself. Republican obstructionists have to be done away with,” Trump said, calling for Roy to face a primary challenge.
Roy, a conservative stalwart, delivered a fiery speech on the House floor Thursday night, criticizing his Republican colleagues who supported the bill.
During the debate, Democrat Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro (CT) gave Roy the floor to air his grievances against fellow Republicans, further fueling division within the party.
With the rejection of the American Relief Act of 2024, the government now faces the very real possibility of a shutdown if an alternative funding measure is not passed by Friday night.
Conservatives and moderates within the GOP remain at odds, leaving the party fractured as the deadline approaches.
As Republicans regroup and consider next steps, the outcome of this debate could have significant implications for the party’s unity and its ability to govern effectively moving forward.