Congress Uses Countdown Timer As Threat, Dares Members To Kill Government

KEY POINTS

•Congressional leaders pushed a major government funding package in early January to avoid a shutdown later that month.
•House Speaker Mike Johnson plans to combine four spending bills into a single six-title bill for the Senate vote.
•Senator Chris Murphy publicly opposed the bill citing concerns about funding DHS actions while some senators sought but failed to include their own legislation.

In a bold display of brinksmanship worthy of a reality show cliffhanger, Congressional leaders have turned the government shutdown threat at January's end into Congress’ version of Russian roulette. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a.k.a. ‘The Great Minibus Whisperer’ from Louisiana, plans to bundle four spending bills—including the Defense, DHS, and HUD megafunds—into one giant six-title monster for the Senate to swallow whole or spit out. Meanwhile, House Democrats grumble quietly about missing their chance to reform ICE, like teenagers not invited to the party. Meanwhile, Senate rebel Chris Murphy calls the bill ‘funding dystopian brutality’ on X, while Sen Ted Cruz and Sen Maria Cantwell merely pouted about their ROTOR Act running the congressional gauntlet but not quite slamming the brakes. House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole swears they’re sending something manageable to the Senate, though it feels more like sending a ticking bomb with a cute bow.

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Mockingbird News

@MockingbirdNews · now

Congress dares members to vote no on the apocalypse countdown: Shutdown 2026 Edition. Spoiler: Party favors include blame-shifting and minor moral outrage.

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