Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy are critical of the spending bill.

The bill that Congressional leadership presented to delay the government funding deadline was declared dead shortly after its introduction.

Conservatives such as Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy intervened, with Musk threatening to back a primary challenge against any Republican congressman who voted for the bill.

The legislation prompted President-elect Trump to say he is "totally against" it and insist that any spending deal raise the debt ceiling before he gets into office, saving his administration the headache of doing so.

The CR was intended to delay the government funding deadline by continuing to spend at 2024 levels until March, giving Congress more time to develop a comprehensive budget plan for fiscal year 2025. However, the CR contained 1,500 pages of policy and funding provisions.

Conservatives are hesitant to support CRs that do not reduce government spending, but they believe a "clean" CR without any additional provisions could earn their vote. However, Democrats and some Republicans want to include policy and funding riders to achieve more than just maintaining the current state of affairs.

The provisions in question led Musk and Ramaswamy to urge Republicans to abandon the CR.

Pay raises for lawmakers

If the legislation passes, lawmakers would receive a nearly 4% pay raise, amounting to an additional $6,600 per year on top of their already substantial $174,000 salary.

Since 2009, there has been no increase in salary, but Congress introduced a program in 2022 that allows members to expense their food and lodging in Washington, D.C. while conducting official business.

For years, some members have advocated for a pay raise, contending that without it, only affluent individuals would be inclined to run for Congress. However, others are concerned about the potential negative impact on voter perceptions of a pay raise.

Still, others just don’t think lawmakers deserve it.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., stated that the pay raise for CR members was the worst part of the CR. He believes that the money should be earned and not simply taken at this time.

Exempting members from Obamacare

The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, exempts members of Congress from having to participate in the healthcare system they created.

Members could choose to opt out of the program and participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program instead. The lawmaker mandate was a contentious issue during the passage of Obamacare in 2009 and 2010, and for years Republicans attempted to repeal the healthcare bill entirely.

Although the CR would exclude members from purchasing healthcare on the Obamacare exchange, it would still mandate their employees to participate in it.

Disaster relief

Amid growing criticism of the CR, House Speaker Mike Johnson has revealed that he initially proposed a "clean" CR plan but later had to include disaster relief for victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton in the southeastern region.

Some $100 billion for disaster relief was included, but some conservatives contend that it should be funded by reducing expenditures in other regions.

Rebuilding Maryland’s Francis Scott Key Bridge

The federal government is not entirely responsible for rebuilding the Baltimore area bridge, according to some conservatives.

Rep. Scott Perry, R-Pa., stated that although the Francis Scott Key Bridge is privately owned, insured, and charges tolls, you will still be responsible for paying 100% of the cost for repairs. Additionally, the bridge will continue to collect tolls after it has been repaired.

Year-round higher levels of ethanol sales

The plan would enable year-round sales of gasoline containing up to 15 percent ethanol, benefiting the corn and ethanol industries. At present, sales of E15 are restricted from June to September due to its high emission levels.

The opposition to the E15 mandate is more of a regional debate than an ideological one. Southern Republicans from oil-producing states are concerned about protecting pure gasoline, while agricultural states want to safeguard farmers and their subsidies.

Reauthorization of State Department agency Republicans accuse of speech suppression

The bill would renew the authorization of a State Department agency that has been accused by Republicans of blacklisting Americans and news outlets for speculating about the origins of the COVID-19 virus.

The Global Engagement Center (GEC) was previously described by Musk as the "most egregious perpetrator of government censorship and media manipulation in the US."

In a subsequent post, Musk stated that they pose a danger to our democracy.

The Inspector General report revealed that the agency's FY 2020 budget totaled $74.26 million, with $60 million of it being appropriated by Congress.

Other riders and handouts

The farm bill has been reauthorized for a year and includes $21 billion in disaster relief and $10 billion in economic aid. While most conservatives do not oppose this, they believe it should be given a separate vote rather than being attached to the CR.

Other bills include one on data collection and reporting requirements for composting and recycling programs, and another on hotel fee transparency.