WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Republicans who control the U.S. Congress will try on Tuesday to advance legislation that would avert a weekend government shutdown, while Democrats alarmed by President Donald Trump's dramatic downsizing effort were expected to oppose it.
The afternoon vote in the House of Representatives is likely to be close. Republicans hold the 435-seat chamber by a four-vote margin, and at least one of them, Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, has said he will vote against it.
Trump has been pressing Republicans to fall into line, and Vice President JD Vance urged them to stay unified at a closed-door meeting on Tuesday morning.
But at least three Republican lawmakers said afterwards they were still undecided, saying the bill did not cut spending as much as they would like.
"I don't think we did our job this time," Republican Representative Rich McCormick said.
Still, Republican leaders predicted they would succeed, and the measure cleared a procedural hurdle in a 216-214 vote in the early afternoon, with one Republican and all Democrats voting against it.
If it clears the House, the legislation will also have to pass the Senate to ensure government agencies can continue operating past Friday midnight, when funding is due to expire.
Republicans in that chamber will need at least seven Democrats to vote with them to avert a lapse in funding, which could disrupt everything from financial oversight to scientific research and force hundreds of thousands of federal workers to go without pay.
Many of those workers have already been stressed by Trump's blunt-force campaign to thin the ranks of the U.S. civil service and slash spending.
At least 100,000 of the government's 2.3 million civilian workers have either been fired or taken a buyout so far, and Trump has effectively shuttered agencies that handle foreign aid and consumer protections. Trump's administration has ordered a second round of layoffs as well, with plans due later this week.
Democrats say Trump's downsizing effort, spearheaded by tech billionaire Elon Musk, runs roughshod over Congress' authority over spending matters.
Most were expected to vote against the government spending bill, saying there would be little point in voting for legislation that will likely be ignored by Trump's administration.
"This bill is a blank check for Elon Musk and President Trump," Representative Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut said on Monday.
The bill would extend government funding until the end of the fiscal year on September 30, largely at current levels. Increases in defense, veterans' care and border security would be offset by cuts to some domestic programs.
(Reporting by David Morgan and Bo Erickson; Editing by Andy Sullivan, Cynthia Osterman and Nick Zieminski)
News magazine bootstrap themes!
I like this themes, fast loading and look profesional
Thank you Carlos!
You're welcome!
Please support me with give positive rating!
Yes Sure!