WASHINGTON — The House rejected President-elect Donald Trump's new plan Thursday to fund federal operations and suspend the debt ceiling a day before a government shutdown, as Democrats refused to accommodate his sudden demands and the quick fix Republican leaders cobbled together.
In a hastily convened evening vote punctuated by angry outbursts over the self-made crisis, the lawmakers failed to reach the two-thirds threshold needed for passage — but House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., appeared determined to try again before Friday's midnight deadline.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., takes questions from reporters Tuesday after presenting his final version of an interim pending bill to his caucus at the Capitol in Washington.
"We're going to do the right thing here," Johnson said ahead of the vote. Still, he didn't even get a majority, with the bill failing 174-235.
The outcome proved a massive setback for Trump and his billionaire ally, Elon Musk, who rampaged against Johnson's bipartisan compromise, which Republicans and Democrats reached earlier to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown.
It provides an preview of the turbulence ahead when Trump returns to the White House with Republican control of the House and Senate. During his first term, Trump led Republicans into the longest government shutdown in history during the 2018 Christmas season, and interrupted the holidays in 2020 by tanking a bipartisan COVID-19 relief bill and forcing a do-over.
Hours earlier, Trump announced "SUCCESS in Washington!" in coming up with the new package, which would have kept government running for three more months, added $100.4 billion in disaster assistance including for hurricane-hit states and allowed more borrowing through Jan. 30, 2027.
"Speaker Mike Johnson and the House have come to a very good Deal," Trump posted.
But Republicans, who spent 24 hours largely negotiating with themselves to come up with the new plan, ran into a wall of resistance from Democrats, who were were in no hurry to appease demands from Trump — or Musk.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., right, speak Thursday at a news conference after President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan to prevent a government shutdown at the Capitol in Washington.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said Democrats were sticking with the original deal with Johnson and called the new one "laughable."
"It's not a serious proposal," Jeffries said as he walked to Democrats' own closed-door caucus meeting. Inside, Democrats were chanting, "Hell, no!"
All day, Johnson fought to figure out how to meet Trump's sudden demands — and keep his own job — while federal offices are being told to prepare to shutter operations.
The new proposal whittled the 1,500-page bill to 116 pages and drops a number of add-ons — notably the first pay raise for lawmakers in more than a decade, which could have allowed as much as a 3.8% bump. That drew particular scorn as Musk turned his social media army against the bill.
Trump said early Thursday that Johnson will "easily remain speaker" for the next Congress if he "acts decisively and tough" in coming up with a new plan to also raise the debt limit.
If not, the president-elect warned of trouble ahead for Johnson and Republicans in Congress.
"Anybody that supports a bill that doesn't take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible," Trump told Fox News Digital.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., center, joined by House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., left, and Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., talks at a news conference Tuesday after presenting his final version of an interim spending bill to his caucus at the Capitol in Washington.
For Johnson, who faces his own problems ahead of a Jan. 3 House vote to remain speaker, Trump's demands left him severely weakened, forced to abandon his word with Democrats and work into the night to broker the new approach.
Trump's allies even floated the far-fetched idea of giving billionaire Musk the speaker's gavel, since the speaker is not required to be a member of Congress. Rep. Majorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., posted she was "open" to the idea.
Democrats saw this as a fitting coda after one of the most unproductive congressional sessions in modern times.
"Here we are once again in chaos," said House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts, who detailed the harm a government shutdown would cause Americans. "And what for? Because Elon Musk, an unelected man, said, 'We're not doing this deal, and Donald Trump followed along.'"
The debate in the House chamber grew heated as lawmakers blamed each other for the mess.
At one point, Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-N.Y., who was presiding over the debate, slammed the speaker's gavel with such force that it broke.
The current debt limit expires Jan. 1, 2025, and threatens to bog down the start of the new administration with months of negotiations to raise it. Trump wants the problem off the table before he joins the White House.
Adding an increase in the debt ceiling to what had been a bipartisan package is a show-stopper for Republicans who routinely vote against more borrowing.
One hard-line Republican, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, drew Trump's ire for refusing to along with the plan and telling colleagues they had no self-respect for piling onto the nation's debt.
"It's shameful!" Roy thundered, standing on the Democratic side of the aisle and pointing at his fellow Republicans.
The slimmed-down package included federal funds to rebuild Baltimore's collapsed Key Bridge, but dropped a separate land transfer that could have paved the way for a new Washington Commanders football stadium. It also abandoned a long list of other bipartisan bills that had support.
Wandering can be deadly for the growing number of US Alzheimer's patients. Here's how families can manage it.
Wandering can be deadly for the growing number of US Alzheimer's patients. Here's how families can manage it.
Updated
As America's population ages, rates of Alzheimer's disease diagnoses are rising. One consequence of the degenerative brain disorder is wandering, which can be dangerous—and sometimes deadly—for those struggling with short- and long-term memory loss.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia and is characterized by a loss of cognitive function over time. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, individuals with the disease may show signs of memory loss, poor judgment, and mood changes. Patients are prone to losing items and money and have a hard time completing everyday tasks for themselves. People with Alzheimer's may even experience a gradual decline or become confused and have trouble recognizing family members or familiar environments over time.
The number of people with the disease is expected to more than double in the next 40 years, from 6.1 million patients in 2020 to around 14 million in 2060, according to the Alzheimer's Association.
A 2021 Capital Caring Health and WebMD national survey found that while 9 in 10 aging adults want to age in place, the prevalence of Alzheimer's and the risk of wandering can put them in danger. Wandering can occur at home, outside, or whenever a person with Alzheimer's leaves a safe environment or the oversight of a caregiver. Six in 10 people with dementia will wander at least once, but many do so repeatedly, the Alzheimer's Association reported. Vulnerable adults who lack supervision are at risk of getting lost or being taken advantage of without their medication, money, or family guidance.
Wandering is often triggered by restlessness, boredom, fear, or agitation. Alzheimer's patients may not be aware of their surroundings, which puts them at risk of getting lost, falling, or even ingesting harmful substances. Wandering can also be accidental: An adult can leave their house to go to the grocery store but get lost along the way.
Tragically, the effects of wandering can be fatal. In an analysis of over 300 newspaper reports published in the journal BMC Geriatrics in 2011, researchers at the University of Florida found that 2 in 5 individuals with dementia who went missing were found dead the following day. Older adults who wander risk dehydration, exacerbating medical concerns, exposure to extreme and prolonged cold or heat, or being hit by a car.
Tile examined CDC data and peer-reviewed research to illustrate the scope of Alzheimer's, the dangers of wandering, and the steps families can take to protect their loved ones.
What to do after an Alzheimer's diagnosis
Updated
In 2022, the CDC reported over 120,100 people with Alzheimer's died due to the disease, making it the seventh-leading cause of death in the United States.
People with Alzheimer's may also be prone to "sundowning," which refers to a difference in behavior that occurs during the later half of the day. Hallucinations, mood swings, or delusions make sleeping difficult and magnify any chronic distress, leading patients to want to escape their environment and wander.
It's important to remember the risk of wandering may clash with an older adult's wish to maintain an independent lifestyle. These conflicts may aggravate the stress of the situation for both Alzheimer's patients and their caregivers.
After an Alzheimer's diagnosis, experts encourage family members to immediately talk to the patient about getting involved in decisions about their home and lifestyle. While this may cause friction, being proactive can help protect Alzheimer's patients' well-being in the long run.
The National Institute on Aging suggests preparing the home of an Alzheimer's patient to be as safe as possible. To prevent patients from falling, homes with staircases need handrails and safety grips or carpets on the stairs. Any small step-ups or electrical cords that could cause someone to trip need to be removed. Any harmful products, such as cleaners or paint thinner, should be removed or inaccessible. The NIA also advises caregivers to remove any upholstery with busy patterns that might overwhelm a patient with Alzheimer's, as overstimulation can trigger wandering.
To prevent Alzheimer's patients from wandering away while respecting their need for independence and movement, the NIA suggests that caregivers provide safe wandering environments, like a garden or a clear walking path. Since boredom and restlessness can cause wandering, caregivers can build an encouraging environment that involves daily tasks and creative projects to help engage them and pass the time. Caregivers should also implement a security and GPS tracking system in the patient's home and car that allows loved ones to monitor them from afar.
The risk of wandering is a reality for Alzheimer's patients and their loved ones. Yet with the proper tools and a support system in place, caregivers can reduce the dangers it can bring.
Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Janina Lawrence. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.
This story originally appeared on Tile and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
