Jeffries says GOP on its own to come up with votes to pass clean spending bill
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) warned Thursday that Democrats are ready to oppose a long-term extension of government funding at current 2024 levels.
The Democratic opposition in the House could be critical, because it is not clear that House Republicans, who hold a razor-thin majority, have the votes on their own to pass a 'clean' funding bill.
The government will shut down next weekend without a new funding measure.
Jeffries has been pushing for a deal that would provide more funding for the government than the measure that the GOP is pursuing.
Specifically, he wants a 2025 spending deal at the levels approved by both parties under the Fiscal Responsibility Act (FRA), which was enacted in 2023. Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is pushing ahead instead with an extension of current funding, known as a continuing resolution (CR), through the remainder of the fiscal year.
Jeffries emphasized that Republicans had 'negotiated and supported' the 2023 deal, and suggested that if Johnson abandons it in favor of a CR, he'll have to find the Republican votes to pass it.
'A yearlong continuing resolution is inconsistent with the bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act,' Jeffries said during a press briefing in the Capitol. 'And so if Republicans decide to take this approach, as Speaker Johnson indicated, it's his expectation that Republicans are going it alone.'
It's unclear if Democrats would oppose a CR unanimously — some moderates might cross the aisle to avoid appearances that they supported a government shutdown. And Jeffries stopped short of committing his opposition, saying Democrats would huddle next week to discuss their strategy after the details of the GOP bill are released.
Still, Republicans control the House by just a few seats. And if an overwhelming majority of Democrats oppose the CR, it would force Johnson to unite virtually the entirety of his divided conference to pass the bill.
The Speaker said Thursday that he's up for the task. Asked if he will need Democrats to approve the bill, he said, 'I believe we'll pass it along party lines, but I think every Democrat should vote for the CR.'
The bill is expected to be released as early as Sunday.
Emily Brooks contributed.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
32 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Who is Vance Boelter? What We Know About Suspect in Democrat Assassination
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Law enforcement sources have identified 57-year-old Vance Luther Boelter as the suspect in the targeted shooting of two Minnesota state lawmakers early Saturday morning, according to The Associated Press. The attacks killed State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark in their Brooklyn Park home, while State Senator John Hoffman and his wife remain hospitalized in critical condition after being shot in Champlin. The suspect impersonated a police officer during both attacks, wearing official-looking gear including a vest, badge, and equipment. The attacks began around 2:00 a.m. at Senator Hoffman's Champlin residence, followed by the fatal shooting at Representative Hortman's Brooklyn Park home at approximately 3:35 a.m. When officers arrived at Hortman's residence to conduct a welfare check, they encountered someone dressed as a police officer exiting the home. Investigators found "No Kings" protest flyers in the suspect's vehicle, prompting authorities to cancel planned demonstrations across the state as a precautionary measure. Law enforcement sources indicate investigators are examining whether the attacks were motivated by extreme views on abortion policy. Representative Hortman, first elected in 2004, served as House Speaker from 2019 to 2025 and was the current Democratic leader in the legislature. Senator Hoffman, representing District 34 since 2013, previously served on the Anoka Hennepin School Board. The suspect remains at large, with Brooklyn Park under an active shelter-in-place order while hundreds of law enforcement officers from multiple agencies conduct an intensive manhunt. Police have issued unusual safety warnings, advising residents not to open doors to lone officers and noting that "licensed officers are working in pairs." Enhanced security has been deployed to protect officials named on the target list, while Governor Walz has advised against attending political rallies until the suspect is captured. The FBI continues coordinating with state and local authorities as the investigation develops. This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
Buzz Feed
36 minutes ago
- Buzz Feed
Trump Press Secretary's "Stupid" Comment, Viral Outrage
Ahead of President Donald Trump's US military parade, a press conference was held to address his views on protests, and things got heated. To celebrate the army's 250th anniversary, a huge military parade is expected to be held today in Washington, DC, and is set to include thousands of soldiers marching the streets, tanks, warplanes, army parachutists, and more. Today is also Trump's 79th birthday. "Critics have compared the expensive parade (which reportedly costs a whopping $40 million) to the ones held in Russia and North Korea. To counteract the massive demonstration, his policies, and the recent ICE raids/deportations, protests, known as the No Kings Protests, continue to take place around the country, with some even scheduled to happen today. On Tuesday, Trump spoke out on the country-wide demonstrations and warned that anyone protesting during the anniversary parade will be met with "very heavy force." So, when White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt held a daily briefing the following day, it was expected that reporters would have some follow-up questions about his remarks on protests against immigration raids in Los Angeles, which escalated after Trump authorized military forces to protect federal property against the wishes of city and state officials. One interaction in particular has generated a lot of attention online, ultimately going viral for the "aggressive" response Karoline gave NOTUS White House correspondent Jasmine Wright. "The president warned that any protests on Saturday would be met with force," Jasmine began. "Can you clarify what kind of protest President Trump does support or find acceptable?" "The president absolutely supports peaceful protests," Karoline responded. "He supports the First Amendment. He supports the rights of Americans to make their voices heard. He does not support violence of any kind." The First Amendment protects the freedom of religion, speech, press, peaceful assembly, and the right to petition the government for redress of grievances. "He does not support violence of any kind. He does not support assaulting law enforcement officers, who are simply trying to do their job. It's very clear for the president what he supports and what he does not. Unfortunately, for Democrats, that line has not been made clear, and they've allowed this unrest and this violence to continue, and the president has had to step in." To get some clarification from Karoline, Jasmine asked, "So, if there were peaceful protests on Saturday for the military parade, President Trump would allow that?" To which Karoline responded, "Of course, the president supports peaceful protest. What a stupid question." Jasmine's facial expression said it all, because how rude! The comment was so uncalled for. Not only did Karoline not answer the question, but she threw all professionalism out the window while conversing with Jasmine. Many people online were disgusted by it all: The responses continued to highlight her behavior: Unfortunately, this seems to be a pattern for Karoline. Other correspondents have dealt with similar experiences. You can watch here and here. The parade is set to take place later today at 6:30 p.m. ET in D.C., so only time will tell what will happen with today's protests. What are your thoughts on all of this? Let me know in the comments.
Axios
41 minutes ago
- Axios
Minnesota shootings set off five-alarm fire in Congress
Members of Congress went into this weekend with their nerves already severely frayed. The shooting of two lawmakers in Minnesota on Saturday has sent those tensions over the edge. Why it matters: In discussions with Axios on Saturday, lawmakers in both parties described growing unease on Capitol Hill about the country's increasingly volatile political atmosphere — and what it means for their security. One senior House Democrat, speaking on the condition of anonymity to describe sensitive internal discussions, said text chains between members were "on fire" Saturday morning after the news of the shootings broke. Lawmakers "are scared," the senior Democrat said, and want "addresses hidden and security updates. They won't be silenced." A House Republican told Axios they responded to the news by immediately raising the issue of members' security with House leadership. What happened: Minnesota state House Leader Melissa Hortman and her husband Mark were shot and killed in their home in what President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi described as a "targeted" attack, Axios' Torey Van Oot, Nick Halter and Kyle Stokes reported. State Sen. John Hoffman and his wife Yvette were also shot in their home overnight. The suspect in the shootings was dressed as a police officer and left behind a manifesto naming many lawmakers, law enforcement said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the shootings appeared to be a "politically motivated assassination." What they're saying: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said he asked the House sergeant-at-arms and Capitol Police to "ensure the safety of our Minnesota delegation and Members of Congress across the country." "Our country is on edge like never before," he said in a statement. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a post on X: "Such horrific political violence has no place in our society, and every leader must unequivocally condemn it." A Capitol Police spokesperson told Axios they are "aware of the violence targeting state lawmakers in Minnesota" and "have been working with our federal, state and local partners," but declined to offer further details. What we're hearing: "People are definitely at a heightened attention," a second House Democrat told Axios of their colleagues' states of mind following the shooting. A second House Republican who spoke to Axios said it is "important to wait and not jump to conclusions" until there is more information on the shooter's motive. However, they added, "if it ends up being politically motivated, [in my opinion] ALL Republicans need to come out swinging against political violence." Between the lines: The shootings come just days after Sen. Alex Padilla (D-Calif.) was held on the ground and handcuffed after attempting to confront Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem during a press conference in Los Angeles. The incident sent shockwaves through Congress, with one House Democrat even berating a Republican colleague on the floor to "grow a pair of balls" and urge their colleagues denounce the incident. Padilla brief detention came on the heels of Rep. LaMonica McIver (D-N.J.) being indicted over a scuffle with DHS officers and an aide to Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) being briefly handcuffed. Zoom out: While tensions have risen in recent months, members of Congress are no strangers to violence or threats of violence.
