Tag: plans

  • ‘Complete failure’: Government shutdown crisis threatens Capitol Hill as Trump plans policy overhaul

    ‘Complete failure’: Government shutdown crisis threatens Capitol Hill as Trump plans policy overhaul

    There are less than two months until the next government funding deadline on March 14, and House lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned about the speed of their progress on spending talks.

    “I think it’s a complete failure for us to not have a topline number,” said Rep. Cory Mills, R-Fla. 

    Congressional Republicans have been busy negotiating a massive conservative policy and budget overhaul via a process called “reconciliation,” which allows the party holding both the House and Senate to enact sweeping changes by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage from 60 votes to 51.

    But all the while, Republicans who spoke with Fox News Digital are worried about falling behind on the federal appropriations process for fiscal year (FY) 2025, with no topline funding numbers to work from yet and just 19 days left in session until the deadline.

    TRUMP’S REMAIN IN MEXICO POLICY COULD BE REVIVED UNDER NEW HOUSE GOP BILL 

    U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is navigating multiple critical legislative actions in the next few months. (Getty Images/AP)

    Congress has extended the FY 2025 deadline twice since the period began Oct. 1 – most recently passing a short-term funding extension of FY 2024 funding levels, known as a continuing resolution (CR), in late December.

    “Appropriation bills have to get done. If we end up with another CR, that would be catastrophic. That would mean, in essence, a reduction on defense [funding],” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee. “But for us to start doing it, we need a topline number. But I’m optimistic we’ll get there.”

    If nothing is done by March 14, Congress could be forced to contend with a partial government shutdown in the middle of their reconciliation talks – and within the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term.

    Other members of the committee suggested they were similarly in the dark about a topline number, but were cautiously hopeful.

    “We are less than eight weeks away from the CR expiring. We need to be able to get those toplines as soon as possible and get to work,” said Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla. “I have full faith and confidence that Tom Cole will be able to make that happen in the next week or two.”

    Cory Mills speaks during press conference

    Rep. Cory Mills blasted Congress for not having a topline appropriations number yet. (David Dee Delgado)

    Rep. Mark Alford, R-Mo., said House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole, R-Okla., has been “in consultation” with his counterparts on a towline number.

    Asked about the possibility of another CR, he said, “We have several things going on at once – the reconciliation package, raising the debt ceiling, and the appropriations process. So let’s just hope for the best and deal with the worst if we have to.”

    Republican leaders have previously been forced to seek Democratic support to pass CRs, which normally hit a wall of opposition among a cross-section of the GOP.

    TRUMP’S ICE RACKS UP HUNDREDS OF ARRESTS, INCLUDING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARRESTED FOR HORROR CRIMES

    Conservative hardliners told Fox News Digital they’re bracing for another CR or, worse in their eyes, a massive package combining Congress’ 12 regular appropriation bills into one massive “omnibus.”

    Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., said he and other conservatives were working on a bill to keep border security operations funded in the event of a government shutdown.

    “We’re running out of time,” he said, adding that Republicans should “probably stay in next week” instead of flying to their annual issues conference in Miami.

    Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C.

    Rep. Ralph Norman said he is working on a bill to keep the border funded in the event of a shutdown. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

    Rep. Keith Self, R-Fla., pointed out that House lawmakers have just over two weeks’ worth of days in session to come up with a plan.

    “I’m very concerned. I’m also concerned that if we screw up the CR on March the 14th, does it poison the reconciliation negotiations?” Self posed.

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

    But not all conservatives are concerned. House Freedom Caucus Chair Andy Harris, R-Md., said he would be in favor of a full-year CR if “we write it properly.”

    “You tell me what the topline is, and I’ll tell you whether I’m concerned,” he said.

    Fox News Digital reached out to congressional Republican leaders and the House Appropriations Committee for comment.

  • Trump plans 10% tariffs on Chinese imports on Feb. 1

    Trump plans 10% tariffs on Chinese imports on Feb. 1

    President Donald Trump announced he is planning a 10% tariff on Chinese imports on Feb. 1 over the country’s role in fentanyl trafficking. 

    “We’re talking about a tariff of 10% on China, based on the fact that they’re sending fentanyl to Mexico and Canada,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Tuesday. “Probably February 1st is the date we’re looking at.” 

    When asked about a conversation he had with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of his inauguration this week, Trump added, “We didn’t talk too much about tariffs, other than he knows where I stand.” 

    During his campaign, Trump threatened tariffs as high as 60% on goods from China. He recently pledged on Truth Social to create an “External Revenue Service” to “collect our Tariffs, Duties, and all Revenue that come from Foreign sources.” 

    JPMORGAN SETTING UP A ‘WAR ROOM’ TO KEEP UP WITH TRUMP’S POLICY CHANGES

    President Donald Trump delivers his inaugural address after being sworn in as the 47th President of the United States in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Chip Somodevilla/Pool/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

    Trump and his allies have argued that such a plan would bolster American manufacturing while making it more difficult for adversaries like China to “export their way out of their current economic malaise,” as Treasury Secretary nominee Scott Bessent told senators last week. 

    However, Democrats and opponents argue the cost of the tariffs would just be passed on to American consumers. 

    “Not only would widespread tariffs drive up costs at home and likely send our economy into recession, but they would likely lead to significant retaliation, hurting American workers, farmers, and businesses,” Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., recently said in a statement. 

    At a press briefing Wednesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told reporters, “We always believe that there is no winner in a trade war or tariff war,” according to Reuters. 

    Trump also has said a 25% levy will be placed on all goods from Canada and Mexico by February. 

    TRUMP ANNOUNCES LARGEST AI INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECT ‘IN HISTORY’ INVOLVING SOFTBANK, OPENAI AND ORACLE

    President Donald Trump inauguration 2025

    Vice President JD Vance and President Trump react on the day of Trump’s Presidential Inauguration at the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Monday. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

    In late November, Trump wrote on his Truth Social account that he would implement such tariffs on Jan. 20 as one of his first Executive Orders and that the tariffs “will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!” 

    Those promised tariffs haven’t gone into effect yet, but on Monday, Trump did sign an executive order titled “America First Trade Policy.” 

    “The Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the United States Trade Representative, shall investigate the causes of our country’s large and persistent annual trade deficits in goods, as well as the economic and national security implications and risks resulting from such deficits, and recommend appropriate measures, such as a global supplemental tariff or other policies, to remedy such deficits,” the order said. 

    Xi Jinping

    Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping knows where he stands when it comes to tariffs. (Ton Molina/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

    CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

    “The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Homeland Security, shall investigate the feasibility of establishing and recommend the best methods for designing, building, and implementing an External Revenue Service (ERS) to collect tariffs, duties, and other foreign trade-related revenues,” it added. 

    Fox News’ Elizabeth Elkind and FOX Business’ Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.