The bill must now be passed by the Senate and signed by President Biden, otherwise government services begin to shutter.

The bill must now be passed by the Senate and signed by President Biden, otherwise government services begin to shutter.

Mark Warner, the US Senator from Virginia, says Elon Musk’s tweet about the government funding bill this week are “factually not true.” His remarks come as House Speaker Mike Johnson strategized Friday morning with lieutenants and Democrats on how to rush a spending bill through the chamber ahead of a midnight US government shutdown deadline after legislation backed by President-elect Donald Trump failed Thursday.
The last-minute haggling over details, which were not yet finalized, came as Trump adviser Elon Musk continued to threaten a government shutdown if the incoming administration did not get what it wants out of the House Republican majority.
Senator Warner spoke with Kailey Leinz on Bloomberg Radio. (Source: Bloomberg)

Readers discuss his role in the government shutdown negotiations. Also: Trump austerity; G.O.P.’s future; clean energy; guns and young people.

Musk wants to tackle the deficit by cutting spending. That is harder than using taxes to do it.

Get caught up.

Republicans failed to pass a revised spending bill that would have averted a US government shutdown after Donald Trump helped sink a previous deal.

A spending bill backed by Donald Trump failed in the US House of Representatives as dozens of Republicans defied the president-elect, leaving Congress with no clear plan to avert a fast-approaching government shutdown that could disrupt Christmas travel.

Democrats are lining up against the idea as Republicans uncomfortably try to shoot it down without raising Trump’s ire.