12:48 PM EST

Schumer calls on GOP to return to original spending plan

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has urged Republicans to return to the original spending plan after members of the GOP rebelled to reject Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s scaled-back proposal.

“It is the quickest, easiest, easiest way to ensure the government stays open,” the Democratic senator said on the Senate floor today, warning that time is running out before a government shutdown.

12:37 PM EST

How long did the last government shutdown last?

The last government shutdown occurred during Donald Trump’s first term as president between December 22, 2018 and January 25, 2019, according to Britannica.

Many services were affected during this closure. The BBC reported that air traffic controllers were working long hours to compensate for the low number of fully trained staff, as many quit or called in sick.

FBI resources were also affected, according to the source. A report showed the closure had impacted crime, terrorism and intelligence work and other operations, meaning the service was at “breaking point”.

According to the BBC, coastguard staff also struggled to afford food and cover the costs of their expensive accommodation on the coast while not receiving pay.

Additionally, a Syracuse University report found that more than 42,000 immigration hearings were canceled as of January 11, 2019.

The second-longest government shutdown lasted 21 days, from December 16, 1995 to January 6, 1996, when Bill Clinton was president.

During Jimmy Carter’s term as president, five were among the ten longest government shutdowns: one lasted 17 days, one lasted 12 days, one lasted 11 days, and two others lasted eight days.

12:28 PM EST

Musk appears to dismiss concerns about the shutdown

Elon Musk appeared to dismiss concerns about the looming government shutdown on Friday.

Tesla’s CEO shared a post on X claiming that nothing “terrible” happened during the last shutdown.

“Either the government should pass sensible bills that actually serve the people, or they should shut them down!” Musk added.

Musk, who was chosen to co-head Donald Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in the new administration, had urged lawmakers to reject an initial bipartisan spending bill and said any lawmaker who supported it should be voted out.

Trump later reiterated Musk’s opposition and called for an increase in the debt limit. He warned that any Republican who supports the bill will face an initial challenge.

Opposition from Musk and Trump helped undermine the law, which would have prevented a shutdown just before Christmas, so House Speaker Mike Johnson sought an alternative.

12:18 PM EST

Trump calls impending government shutdown a ‘Biden problem that needs to be solved’

President-elect Donald Trump said the looming government shutdown is a “Biden problem that needs to be solved.”

Trump made the comments after the House of Representatives rejected his new plan to fund federal operations and suspend the debt ceiling, a day before a government shutdown.

In a statement posted on Truth Social, the president-elect said: “Congress must eliminate the ridiculous debt ceiling, or perhaps extend it until 2029. Without them we should never make a deal. Remember, the pressure is on whoever is president.”

In a later statement Friday morning, Trump shifted responsibility for the potential shutdown to the Biden administration, writing on Truth Social: “If there is going to be a government shutdown, let it begin now, under the Biden administration, not after.” “ January 20, under “TRUMP”. This is a Biden problem to solve, but if Republicans can help solve it, they will!”

12:10 PM EST

Mike Johnson says ‘we have a plan’ as pressure mounts over CR bill mess

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he expects new votes on Friday as time runs out for lawmakers to pass an interim funding bill.

“We expect votes this morning. So everyone stay tuned, we have a plan,” Johnson told reporters as he arrived at the U.S. Capitol on Friday.

Johnson’s comments come as members of Congress face growing pressure to agree on a bill that will keep the government running in the short term. However, disagreements over what to include have raised the risk of a government shutdown over the Christmas period.

Read the full story by Michael D. Carroll and Hugh Cameron at Newsweek.

12:01 pm EST

Wall Street futures slide as government shutdown looms before Christmas

Wall Street futures fell this week as a possible government shutdown looms before Christmas while lawmakers debate a temporary spending bill.

S&P 500 futures fell 1 percent before the opening bell, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures fell 0.6 percent.

Lawmakers fell short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass the measure before Friday’s midnight deadline. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson stressed that he and his fellow Republicans were committed to regrouping and finding an alternative solution to avoid a government shutdown.

The vote marked a significant setback for President-elect Donald Trump and his billionaire ally Elon Musk, who had criticized Johnson’s bipartisan deal – an agreement between Republicans and Democrats aimed at averting a government shutdown over the holidays.

Read the full story by Matthew Impelli on Newsweek.