VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Van Zandt County residents have filed a lawsuit against stakeholders in the Amador Energy Storage Project that would bring a 100 MW lithium battery energy storage facility to the area. According to our news partner KETK, the Finnish-based wind, solar and battery energy storage developer, Taaleri Energia and the Amador Project has drawn criticism from local citizens who argue it threatens their safety, livestock and rural lifestyle. Some of the concerns include fire risks, fire risks, environmental contamination, lack of firefighting resources and proximity to homes.
The storage facility would be located near FM 47 and FM 1651 on approximately 48 acres with construction already in motion and set to be fully functional by the end of next year. The 100 MW lithium battery storage facility could provide electricity at a rate of 100 million watts, which is used for grids to stabilize electricity supply. Continue reading Van Zandt residents file lawsuit over lithium storage facility
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump abruptly rejected a bipartisan plan Wednesday to prevent a Christmastime government shutdown, instead telling House Speaker Mike Johnson and Republicans to essentially renegotiate — days before a deadline when federal funding runs out.
Trump’s sudden entrance into the debate and new demands sent Congress spiraling as lawmakers are trying to wrap up work and head home for the holidays. It left Johnson scrambling late into the night at the Capitol trying to engineer a new plan before Friday’s deadline to keep government open.
“Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH,” Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance said in a statement.
The president-elect made an almost unrealistic proposal that combined some continuation of government funds along with a much more controversial provision to raise the nation’s debt limit — something his own party routinely rejects. “Anything else is a betrayal of our country,” they wrote.
Democrats decried the GOP revolt over the stopgap measure, which would have also provided some $100.4 billion in disaster aid to states hammered by Hurricanes Helene and Milton and other natural disasters.
“House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt everyday Americans all across this country,” said House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Jeffries said “an agreement is an agreement,” and by backing out of it “the House Republicans “will now own any harm that is visited upon the American people.”
Already, the massive 1,500-page bill was on the verge of collapse, as hard-right conservatives rejected the increased spending. They were egged on by Trump’s billionaire ally Elon Musk, who rejected the plan almost as soon as it was released.
Rank-and-file lawmakers complained about the extras, which included their first pay raises in more than a decade — a shock after one of the most unproductive, chaotic sessions in modern times.
Even the addition of much-needed disaster aid, some $100.4 billion in the aftermath of hurricanes and other natural calamities that ravaged states this year, plus $10 billion in economic assistance for farmers failed to win over the budget-slashing GOP. A number of Republicans had been waiting for Trump to signal whether they should vote yes or no.
“This should not pass,” Musk posted on his social media site X in the wee hours of Wednesday morning.
One lawmaker said office phone lines were flooded with calls from constituents
“My phone was ringing off the hook,” said Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky. “The people who elected us are listening to Elon Musk.”
The outcome comes as no surprise for Johnson, who, like other Republican House speakers before him, has been unable to persuade his majority to go along with the routine needs of federal government operations, which they would prefer to slash.
He met behind closed doors late into the night at the Capitol with GOP lawmakers trying to figure out a way out of the bind. Vance joined them until nearly 10 p.m., his young son — in pajamas — in tow.
“We had a productive conversation,” Vance said as he and his son exited the speaker’s office, declining repeated questions about the details.
“We’re in the middle of these negotiations, but I think we’ll be able to solve some problems here.”
It all shows just how hard it will be for Republicans next year, as they seize control of the House, Senate and White House, to unify and lead the nation. And it underscores how much Johnson and the GOP leaders must depend on Trump’s blessing to see any legislative package over the finish line.
Musk, who is heading Trump’s new Department of Government Efficiency, warned, “Any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!”
It’s not an idle threat coming from Musk, the world’s richest man, who helped bankroll Trump’s victory and can easily use his America PAC to make or break political careers.
Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland said this is the problem with “an oligarchy — a handful of wealthy people run everything and everyone is supposed to live in fear of them.”
Senators from both parties were watching from across the Capitol with dismay.
“Is this going to be the norm? Is this going to be how we operate?” said Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., putting the blame on Johnson.
Democrats, who negotiated the final product with Johnson and Senate GOP leadership, will be expected to provide enough support to help ensure passage, as is often the case on big, bipartisan bills.
“Republicans need to stop playing politics,” said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
However, Trump’s new demands on the debt limit pose a daunting test for Johnson, who has worked hard to stay close to the president-elect — even texting with Musk and DOGE co-chair Vivek Ramaswamy — only to have him turn against his hard-fought plan.
Trump posted later that he was insisting on raising the debt ceiling: “I will fight ’till the end.”
The nation’s debt limit expires 2025 and Trump appears to want the issue off the table before he returns to the White House, a reasonable idea but one that typically is tough to negotiate.
The last House speaker, Kevin McCarthy, worked for months with President Joe Biden to raise the debt limit. Even though they struck a bipartisan deal that cut spending in exchange for additional borrowing capacity, House Republicans said it didn’t go far enough, and it ended up costing McCarthy his job.
Now, Trump is looking for Johnson to pass a debt ceiling extension some 48 hours before a partial government shutdown.
Meanwhile, the bipartisan package that Trump rejected extended existing government programs and services at their current operating levels for a few more months, through March 14, 2025.
The stopgap measure is needed because Congress has failed to pass its annual appropriations bills to fund all the various agencies in the federal government, from the Pentagon to health, welfare, transportation and other routine domestic services.
But the inches-thick bill goes beyond routine funding and tacks on several other measures, including federal funding to rebuild Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, which collapsed when struck by a cargo ship. Another provision would transfer the land that is the site of the old RFK Stadium from the federal government to the District of Columbia, which could potentially lead to a new stadium for the NFL’s Washington Commanders.
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., called it essentially a junk sandwich, using a swear word.
And then there’s the pay raise.
The bill would have turned off a pay-freeze provision and that could allow a maximum adjustment of 3.8% or $6,600 in 2025, bringing lawmakers’ annual pay to $180,600, according to a Congressional Research Service report. Members of Congress last got a raise in 2009.
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Associated Press writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Matt Brown and Farnoush Amiri contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON (AP) – After a yearslong legal battle, federal officials are asking Texas schools that used a Medicaid reimbursement program for special education services to return $16 million that they say were billed incorrectly.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General sent an email this month to 572 school districts statewide informing officials they would need to pay anywhere from $100 to $800,000 back to the department for services billed in 2011. The charges stem from a 2017 federal health agency audit that found Texas had improperly billed the agency 238 times for services under the School Health and Related Services program.
The SHARS program reimburses schools for providing services to Medicaid-eligible students, including mental and physical therapy, nursing and screenings. Almost 950 of the state’s more than 1,200 school districts are currently enrolled in SHARS programming, according to the Texas Association of School Boards.
The 238 errors the federal government identified were for services that were deemed ineligible for reimbursement. The Inspector General’s Office also found over 94% of the services billed — including some that were eligible — did not have the required documentation.
The audit warned the Texas Health and Human Services Commission that districts would be asked to return the money paid out for ineligible services, but a series of attempted appeals postponed the repayments. School districts would have had to return more funds, but Texas’ appeals and a review by the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services lowered the number of billings considered ineligible.
The state has six weeks to decide how they want to pay back the $16 million, according to the federal agency. The federal agency is not requiring the state to recoup the money directly from school districts, leaving the option of using state funding to pay the bill.
“It is up to the state to recoup from individual school districts, if it chooses to do so,” according to a spokesperson with the Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
A statement from Texas’ Health and Human Services Commission said the department has already paid the $16 million to the federal government, and that it is required by law to recoup its costs. The statement added HHSC “submitted every possible denial and request” to contest the charges.
With school budgets set for the year, Texas districts say they have little room to move around funds to pay the money back.
“Because this comes in the middle of a budget year, it makes planning for schools virtually impossible,” said Brian Woods, director of advocacy at the Texas Association of School Administrators. “Had this clawback been known prior to schools approving their budgets in the summer of 2024, then at least it could have been planned for, right?”
Pete Pape, chief financial officer for the Leander school district, called the charge “the tip of the iceberg” and expressed frustration with the Texas health agency’s lack of support for districts and their programs. Federal appeals officers said in 2023 that Texas produced “nothing at all” to dispute investigators’ findings, noting the only evidence Texas submitted in its appeal was a spreadsheet created by CMS listing the improperly billed services.
“If we acted like this as a school district, we would get blasted,” Pape said. “It’s like they just want to check off a box, they could tell the community and the legislature, ‘Yeah, we appealed it.’ So it’s frustrating.”
The Leander district owes about $99,000. Pape said he plans to appeal the charge, although the repayment notice the district received did not say if it could be appealed.
The $16 million repayment request comes after Texas slashed more than $607 million for SHARS funding as the state imposed strict limitations on the kinds of services school districts could get reimbursed for. The move, which some school staff consider overcorrection on the state’s part in reaction to the errors made in 2011, have forced some smaller schools to exit the program entirely.
Woods, the former superintendent of the Northside school district in San Antonio, said the repayments are “substantial” even for the largest districts because they are already so strapped for funding.
Northside ISD is set to return more than $420,000, one of the highest repayments the federal government is asking for.
Over 40 schools owe more than $100,000; however, more than half the schools listed owe less than $10,000. The Houston and Austin school districts are set to pay the most, with over $780,000 each.
For many districts, the notice comes as officials grapple with budget shortfalls worsened by inflation, expiring pandemic relief funds and five years without a significant raise in public school spending from the state.
“I don’t think that I’ve heard a consistent, programmatic-type plan. Most of what I hear is, ‘You got to be kidding me, right?’” Woods said of districts’ reactions. “This is on top of the multimillion-dollar cuts that we spent most of the fall talking about, and here we are with another.”
District officials hope lawmakers will provide relief after the SHARS cuts. Several special education funding bills have already been filed ahead of the state legislative session that starts next month. Woods said there is no lawmaker who serves the role of a “designated advocate” for special education funding but added that there is still time to highlight the issue before the Legislature starts.
“Concerned parents and concerned citizens just need to contact their representatives and indicate that they believe there’s a need to rectify that situation,” Woods said.
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department is increasing traffic enforcement during the New Year’s holiday which will continue through Wednesday, Jan. 1. Motorists will see an increased presence of law enforcement in high traffic crash areas throughout the City. Officers will be focusing their targeted enforcement efforts to deter speeding, seatbelt violations, running red lights, texting, and driving while intoxicated throughout the City. “We will have additional officers on the road during the holidays specifically to enforce traffic laws,” said Chief Jimmy Toler. “The safety of everyone remains a priority as they enjoy holiday events and festivities. We will work to deter drinking and driving, speeding, and distracted driving.” Continue reading Tyler Police increasing traffic enforcement during the holidays
SMITH COUNTY – Smith County officials are warning residents of potential jury duty scams after multiple reports. According to reports from our news partner, KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said they have been receiving reports from citizens who are potential victims of a jury duty scam. The scammers are allegedly requesting money for the purpose of taking care of a warrant related to them missing jury duty.
The scams typically involve someone calling and identifying themselves as a law enforcement official or someone employed by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.Officials said a law enforcement agency will never call on the phone demanding payment for any reason. Those who receive a phone call regarding this scam or suspicious calls asking for payment or money, simply hang up and ignore them. The sheriff’s office said people can call 903-566-6600 if they receive any suspicious calls. Continue reading Smith County officials warn of jury duty scams
(WASHINGTON) -- The Federal Reserve cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Wednesday, delivering relief for borrowers at the central bank's last meeting before President-elect Donald Trump takes office next month.
The central bank predicted fewer rate cuts next year than it had previously indicated, however, suggesting concern that inflation may prove more difficult to bring under control than policymakers thought just a few months ago.
The major stock indexes inched downward in trading after the announcement in response to the forecast of fewer rate cuts.
Speaking at a press conference in Washington D.C. on Wednesday, Fed Chair Jerome Powell said the central bank may proceed at a slower pace with future rate cuts, in part because it has now lowered interest rates a substantial amount.
Powell also said a recent resurgence of inflation influenced the Fed's expectations, noting that some policymakers considered uncertainty tied to potential policy changes under Trump.
"It's common-sense thinking that when the path is uncertain, you get a little slower," Powell said. "It's not unlike driving on a foggy night or walking around in a dark room full of furniture."
The move marked the third consecutive interest rate cut since the Fed opted to start dialing back its fight against inflation in the fall. The Fed has lowered interest rates by a percentage point in recent months.
However, the Fed's forecast on Wednesday said it anticipates only a half a percentage point of rate cuts next year and another half-percent cut in 2026.
The benchmark interest rate helps determine loan payments for everything from credit cards to mortgages. Even after recent cuts, the Fed's interest rate remains at a historically high level of between 4.25% and 4.5%.
The size of the interest rate cut on Wednesday matched investors' expectations.
The latest rate cut may prove the Fed's last for many months, experts previously told ABC News.
A recent bout of stubborn inflation could prompt central bankers to freeze interest rates in place as they bring price increases under control. A humming economy, meanwhile, shows little need for the jolt of activity that lower borrowing costs may provide, the experts said.
Consumer prices climbed 2.7% in November compared to a year ago, marking two consecutive months of accelerating inflation, government data last week showed.
Inflation has slowed dramatically from a peak of more than 9% in June 2022. But the recent uptick has reversed some progress made at the start of this year that had landed price increases right near the Fed's target of 2%.
In August, Trump said the president should have a role in setting interest rates. The proposal would mark a major shift from the longstanding norm of political independence at the Fed.
Powell struck a defiant tone last month when posed with the question of whether he would resign from his position if asked by Trump.
"No," Powell told reporters assembled at a press conference in Washington, D.C., blocks away from the White House.
When asked whether Trump could fire or demote him, Powell retorted: "Not permitted under the law."
TYLER — Pets Fur People, the oldest no-kill animal shelter in East Texas dedicated to the care, protection, and adoption of animals in Smith County, is pleased to announce the appointment of Holli Jones as its new Executive Director. She will officially begin her role on December 18, 2024. With over 25 years of experience in the animal care sector and many years of nonprofit work, Holli Jones brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong passion for animal welfare to the organization.
Holli along with her husband, the late Dr. Jesse Jones co-owned Green Acres Animal Clinic where she also served as Vice President, Manager and Veterinarian Assistant. She has also worked on various community projects such as the The Tyler Rose Festival Coronation, The Salvation Army, and the Tyler Symphony League.
Tyler — Pets Fur People, the oldest no-kill animal shelter in East Texas dedicated to the care, protection, and adoption of animals in Smith County, is pleased to announce the appointment of Holli Jones as its new Executive Director. She will officially begin her role on December 18, 2024. With over 25 years of experience in the animal care sector and many years of nonprofit work, Holli Jones brings a wealth of knowledge and a strong passion for animal welfare to the organization. Holli along with her husband, the late Dr. Jesse Jones co-owned Green Acres Animal Clinic where she also served as Vice President, Manager and Veterinarian Assistant. Continue reading New Director at Pets Fur People
FORT WORTH – The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that Bell Textron Inc., already one the largest employers in the Metroplex, has chosen its hometown of Fort Worth to build components for the next generation of military assault helicopters. The news, announced Tuesday by Bell CEO Lisa Atherton and Gov. Greg Abbott at a Bell facility in northern Fort Worth, represents an investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in North Texas. The company’s new facility in Alliance is expected to create more than 500 high-paying jobs after it opens in 2025. “We are truly a Texas company,” Atherton said. Bell considered at least two other locations in other states for its $632 million plant. It will produce parts for the company’s V-280 Valor to replace the Army’s fleet of UH-60 Black Hawks, developed in the 1970s by the Lockheed Martin company Sikorsky.
Bell won the coveted defense contract in 2022 for its design of the V-280, a tiltrotor aircraft that can take off or land vertically and fly at over 300 mph. The contract could be worth up to $70 billion over many years, depending on how many aircraft the Army and foreign governments purchase. Lockheed Martin and Boeing had competed during the Army’s years-long selection process. The 34-acre site that Bell chose is at 15100 N. Beach St., off Interstate 35W across the Denton County line but within the Fort Worth city limits. The site was formerly home to a Stanley Black & Decker facility. Brian Chase, vice president of international government affairs at Bell Flight, said selecting the facility was about a three-year process. He declined to name the other sites Bell considered. Jobs at the new location will be a mix of support and traditional manufacturing roles, like engineering and operations positions. It’s unclear how many roles will require security clearance. Bell is still designing the manufacturing flow of the facility, and does not yet have a timeline for when hiring could begin. Chase said Tuesday’s announcement was likely the last major site selection for the FLRAA manufacturing. The aircraft will be assembled in Amarillo and testing will be done in Grand Prairie and Arlington. Chase said locals may see aircraft flying near the testing facilities in the coming years.
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AUSTIN – After extensive reviews of public comments and stakeholder input, the Railroad Commission of Texas has adopted a significant overhaul of rules regulating oil and gas waste management facilities in Texas. RRC Commissioners voted to adopt the new regulations at their open meeting today.
The regulations cover waste from oil and gas operations, such as rock and other material pulled up from the ground during drilling, as well as waste from other operations for which the Legislature has given the RRC jurisdiction including geothermal, carbon sequestration and brine mining wells.
It is the first overhaul of RRC’s waste management rules in four decades. The new rules help the RRC continue to safeguard groundwater and surface water while adapting to modern waste management practices, such as recycling produced water, and recent advancements in production methods.
EAST TEXAS – The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) announces $3.4 million in grants from the Governor’s Public Safety Office awarded to East Texas jurisdictions and nonprofits. The Governor’s Public Safety Office administers federal and state grant funding to promote strategies that improve public safety, support victims of crime, prevent terrorism and prepare communities for the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to Texans.
ETCOG’s Public Safety Division assists jurisdictions in applying for these funds annually. Applications to be submitted for funding are ranked and scored by the ETCOG Criminal Justice Advisory Committee and Homeland Security Advisory Committee, which includes local subject matter experts from across the region.
The Governor’s Office has approved a total of $3,435,484.11 for funding the Victims of Crime Act, Justice Assistance, Violence Against Women Act, Juvenile Justice / Truancy Prevention, and Homeland Security grants in East Texas. Continue reading $3.4M in Public Safety Grants for East Texas Region
(NEW YORK) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed the first case of severe bird flu in the United States.
The federal health agency said Wednesday that the patient has been hospitalized in Louisiana. State health officials said the patient is over the age of 65 with underlying medical conditions.
The patient is experiencing severe respiratory illness related to bird flu infection and is currently in critical condition, a spokesperson from the Louisiana Department of Health told ABC News.
Genomic data showed the Louisiana patient was infected with a version of the virus recently found to be spreading in wild birds and poultry in the U.S., as well as found in some human cases in Canada and Washington state, according to the CDC.
This is different than the version of the virus found to be spreading in dairy cows and some poultry populations in the U.S.
The Louisiana patient was exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks, although an investigation into the source of the illness is ongoing, the CDC said. This is the first case of human bird flu in the U.S. linked to exposure to backyard flock.
There have been 61 reported human cases of bird flu reported in the U.S. since April, according to CDC data.
Almost all confirmed cases have had direct contact with infected cattle or infected livestock. Prior to the case confirmed in the Louisiana patient, cases had been mild and patients had all recovered after receiving antiviral medication, according to the CDC and state health officials. One previous case in Missouri was hospitalized, but health officials pointed to other health conditions aside from bird flu infection involved in the patient's admission to the hospital.
Signs and symptoms of infection in humans often include sore throat, cough, fever, runny or stuffy nose, headache, muscle or body aches, fatigue and shortness of breath, the CDC says. Less common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and seizures.
Infections can range from no symptoms or mild illness, such as flu-like symptoms, to more severe illness, such as pneumonia that could require hospitalizations, the CDC says.
"The best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid exposure whenever possible. Infected birds shed avian influenza A viruses in their saliva, mucous and feces," the CDC wrote Wednesday in a press release. "Other infected animals may shed avian influenza A viruses in respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids (e.g., in unpasteurized cow milk or 'raw milk')."
The CDC said no person-to-person transmission has been detected and the risk to the general public is low. However, those who work with birds, poultry or cows -- or have recreational exposure to them -- are at higher risk and should take precautions recommended by the health agency.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a new federal order last week that raw milk samples nationwide will be collected and shared with the department in order to test for bird flu.
The decision came after the bird flu virus was found in samples of raw milk from a California farm, which issued a recall of all of its raw milk products earlier this week. The farm was also placed under quarantine by state health officials.
On Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency "to streamline and expedite the state’s response" to bird flu. There have been 33 cases of human bird flu confirmed in California this year, according to the CDC.
Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(WASHINGTON) -- The stopgap spending plan negotiated between House Republicans and Democrats to avoid a government shutdown appears to be dead two days before the deadline after it was condemned by President-elect Donald Trump and his ally Elon Musk.
Johnson's original plan called for extending government spending at current levels until March and added other provisions like relief for disaster victims and farmers and a pay raise for members of Congress.
In a joint statement Wednesday afternoon, Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance called on Congress to "pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn't give [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want."
"Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH. If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF. It is Schumer and [President Joe] Biden who are holding up aid to our farmers and disaster relief," Trump and Vance said.
Later Wednesday evening, Trump threatened any Republican in the House who voted for a clean bill.
"Any Republican that would be so stupid as to do this should, and will, be Primaried," he posted on his Truth Social platform. "Everything should be done, and fully negotiated, prior to my taking Office on January 20th, 2025."
In another post, Trump also pushed Republicans to deal with the debt limit before he takes office, saying if they don't, "he'll have to 'fight 'til the end' with Democrats."
"This is a nasty TRAP set in place by the Radical Left Democrats!" he wrote. "They are looking to embarrass us in June when [the debt limit] comes up for a Vote. The people that extended it, from September 28th to June 1st, should be ashamed of themselves."
Scalise says 'hopefully tomorrow' the House will have deal Congress faces a deadline Friday, when the current government funding extension expires, to pass a new bill before a government shutdown kicks in.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., told reporters late Wednesday that negotiations on government funding remained ongoing after a "productive" late-night meeting in Speaker Mike Johnson's office.
"We are going to continue to work through the night to the morning to get an agreement we can bring to the floor," Scalise said, adding "hopefully tomorrow" the House can "get it resolved."
Among those in the speaker's office for negotiations was Vance, who told reporters the conversation was "productive," adding, "I think we will be able to solve some problems here."
In his remarks to reporters, Scalise said Trump "wants to start the presidency on a sound footing, and we want him to as well. And I think that's one of the things we're all focused on," he said.
Scalise added, "There's a lot we want to get done starting in January. But obviously we've got to get through this first. And we are going to get it resolved."
Asked if the debt limit is going to be part of any new agreement, as Trump has called for, Scalise said: "We are not there yet. We are still having conversations with our members with a lot of other folks too just to make sure that everybody is on the same page. But we are still talking about some good ideas that will address some of the issues our members raised today. And then make sure we take care of the disaster victims."
What Elon Musk said
Earlier Wednesday, Musk came out against the bill, going so far as to threaten lawmakers who voted for it.
After posting on X that "This bill should not pass," Musk escalated his rhetoric, warning that "any member of the House or Senate who votes for this outrageous spending bill deserves to be voted out in 2 years!"
"Please call your elected representatives right away to tell them how you feel! They are trying to get this passed today while no one is paying attention," he implored his over 200 million followers.
He later posted that "No bills should be passed Congress until Jan 20, when @realDonaldTrump takes office."
Republican leaders had been discussing a clean short-term funding bill, but specifics are unclear, sources told ABC News. This comes less than a day after Republicans unveiled the legislative text that was the product of bipartisan and bicameral negotiations.
What Democrats are saying
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries signaled Democrats were not inclined to vote for a clean bill.
"An agreement is an agreement," Jeffries told reporters.
"House Republicans have been ordered to shut down the government and hurt everyday Americans all across this country," he said. "House Republicans will now own any harm that is visited upon the American people that results from a government shutdown or worse."
House Speaker Mike Johnson was asked about Musk's post during an interview on "Fox & Friends" on Wednesday morning. He appeared to not worry about Musk's post influencing the ability of the funding bill to get through both chambers ahead of a partial government shutdown deadline at the end of the day Friday.
"I was communicating with Elon last night. Elon and Vivek [Ramaswamy] and I are on a text chain together and I was explaining to them the background of this. Vivek and I talked last night about midnight, and he said 'look I get it.' He said, 'We understand you're in an impossible position,'" Johnson said.
Johnson said Musk and Ramaswamy, the two DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) leaders, are aware of the tough spot the speaker is in with a slim majority and Democratic control of the Senate and White House. DOGE is an outside-of-government (or private) operation.
"We gotta get this done because here's the key. By doing this, we are clearing the decks, and we are setting up for Trump to come in roaring back with the American first agenda. That's what we are going to run with gusto beginning January 3 when we start the new Congress," he said.
Johnson, whose speakership has been characterized by beating back criticism from his far-right flank, had originally promised a clean bill that would solely extend current levels of government funding to prevent a shutdown. However, natural disasters and headwinds for farmers, necessitated additional federal spending.
In the end, the bill included $100 billion for recovery efforts from Hurricanes Helene and Milton and another $10 billion for economic assistance for farmers.
Johnson at an earlier press conference said his hands were tied after "acts of God" necessitated additional money.
"It was intended to be, and it was, until recent days, a very simple, very clean [continuing resolution], stopgap funding measure to get us into next year when we have unified government," he said. "We had these massive hurricanes in the late fall, Helene and Milton, and other disasters. We have to make sure that the Americans that were devastated by these hurricanes get the relief they need."
Still, Republican spending hawks cried foul, accusing Johnson of stocking the bill with new spending without any way to pay for it and keeping the bill's creation behind closed doors.
"We're just fundamentally unserious about spending. And as long as you got a blank check, you can't shrink the government. If you can't shrink the government, you can't live free," Texas Rep. Chip Roy said.
Musk, too, mocked the size of the bill.
"Ever seen a bigger piece of pork?" he posted on X, along with a picture of the bill stacked on a desk.
ABC News' Rachel Scott and Katerine Faulders contributed to this report.
TYLER — Tyler Transit is transforming its existing fixed route service into a MicroTransit service starting Monday, Jan. 13. New payment methods are being rolled out as well. Riders will be able to book a ride by calling (903) 533-8057 from the bus stop or through the Tyler Transit app. Public comment period will remain open until Monday, Jan. 6 at 1 p.m. Click here to submit questions and comments.
All Tyler Transit bus stops will be used as pick-up locations for riders. The ride will take them directly to the doorstep of a destination within sight of the closest bus stop on any existing route. The MicroTransit service will be split into three zones, with two drivers per zone. If a passenger’s destination is in a different zone from where they are picked up, they will be taken to Stop 400 near the Bergfeld Center and Fire Station 7, where a driver will be waiting or arriving shortly to complete the trip. Continue reading Tyler Transit launching MicroTransit service for all routes
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Van Zandt County residents have filed a lawsuit against stakeholders in the Amador Energy Storage Project that would bring a 100 MW lithium battery energy storage facility to the area. According to our news partner KETK, the Finnish-based wind, solar and battery energy storage developer, Taaleri Energia and the Amador Project has drawn criticism from local citizens who argue it threatens their safety, livestock and rural lifestyle. Some of the concerns include fire risks, fire risks, environmental contamination, lack of firefighting resources and proximity to homes.
