GOP Slams ‘Christmas CR’ as Wasteful, Rushed Spending Ahead of Holiday Shutdown Deadline
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Congressional Republicans voiced strong opposition to a short-term funding bill released on Tuesday, calling it a bloated measure designed to stave off a federal government shutdown just before the holiday season.
The continuing resolution (CR), spanning more than 1,500 pages, would keep the government open until mid-March. However, many GOP lawmakers took to social media with creative—and festive—criticisms, slamming the bill as wasteful and rushed.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) referenced both the season and ancient history in her warning about the CR. “The Christmas CR lump of coal comes with a warning,” Greene told her followers. “Beware the Ides of March…”
Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) turned to holiday literature for inspiration, borrowing from the 1823 poem ’Twas the Night Before Christmas. “‘Twas three days before the gov’t shutdown And I’m at my desk On page 54 of this 1,547-page mess. The CR is garbage Choked full of carnage. I’ll be a hard no I won’t stoop that low,” Gosar posted on X.
Meanwhile, Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) delivered a seasonal pun, posting, “Congress is certainly not sleighing the budget.” She followed up with a more serious critique, highlighting the bill’s length and accusing it of wasteful spending.
“The first 9 pages of this Continuing Resolution are all we need to keep the government open; the other 1,500+ pages are a handbook on how the government plans to waste your tax dollars for a bit,” Mace wrote.
Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) called the CR “monstrous” and didn’t mince words. “Washington is beyond broken,” Clyde declared on X. Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) tied his criticism of the bill to President-elect Donald Trump’s upcoming term, emphasizing the need for reform in Washington.
“A ‘clean CR,’ right? 1,500+ pages, billions in reckless and unpaid spending, new bills that we have no time to review and wouldn’t have passed otherwise—business as usual in Washington! Yet another reason we need President Trump and @DOGE to help us stop this crap and clean the federal government up,” Scott posted.
The short-term funding measure is intended to prevent a government shutdown amid Congress’s struggle to pass long-term appropriations. However, Republican frustration over the bill’s size rushed nature, and content suggests the holiday season won’t bring unity to Washington.
