President Trump on Thursday threw his support behind advancing a “clean” stopgap funding measure, urging Congress to move his legislative agenda forward with a continuing resolution.
“As usual, Sleepy Joe Biden left us a total MESS. The Budget from last YEAR is still not done,” Trump wrote late Thursday on Truth Social, casting blame on the Biden administration.
“We are working very hard with the House and Senate to pass a clean, temporary government funding Bill (“CR”) to the end of September,” he added. “Let’s get it done!”
The president lauded House Republicans and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) after the lower chamber successfully passed “one big, beautiful bill” that outlines a budget blueprint focused on taxes, border security and energy.
However, Senate Republicans have cast doubt on the measure, eyeing significant changes to proposed tax cuts, which they say could become permanent, and raising concerns about sweeping cuts to Medicaid.
“It’s complicated. It’s hard. Nothing about this is going to be easy,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said. “There are some things that we need to work with the House package to expand upon.”
Congress has until March 14 to avert a shutdown. Negotiators appear to have hit a wall on whether to limit the president’s powers to spend the money agreed to.
Democrats have also proven to be a hurdle for Republicans, as they move to block program cuts suggested by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — an advisory board focused on curbing government spending. The controversial DOGE has also moved to oust thousands of federal workers amid its government overhaul, which has sparked a slew of lawsuits.
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