House Speaker Mike Johnson's proposed short-term spending bill has drawn criticism from billionaire Elon Musk, who labeled the 1,547-page document as being laden with unnecessary expenditures. The legislation aims to avert a government shutdown on Friday and maintain funding until March. Musk's disapproval, expressed on X (formerly Twitter), adds another layer of complexity to the bill's passage.

Republican leaders have defended the stopgap measure, asserting that it provides President-elect Trump more control over spending decisions in the spring. While Vivek Ramaswamy, another Trump ally, didn't outright reject the bill, he expressed reservations and called for thorough review by all members of Congress. President-elect Trump has yet to comment on the budget negotiations.

Some GOP lawmakers had previously voiced concerns about a large funding package. Rep. Eric Burlison, for instance, questioned the inclusion of a provision impacting pharmacy benefit managers. Johnson has emphasized that the bill's length is primarily due to unforeseen expenses, such as natural disaster relief, rather than excessive spending. He has allotted three days for lawmakers to review the legislation before a Friday vote.

A significant portion of the bill, $100 billion, is allocated to disaster relief for Hurricanes Milton and Helene. An additional $8 billion is earmarked for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore. Given the narrow one-seat Republican majority in the House, securing Democratic support will be crucial for the bill's passage. It also needs Senate approval by Friday to prevent a government shutdown.

SpaceX and Tesla founder Elon Musk speaks during an America PAC town hall.

Speaker Mike Johnson proposed his continuing resolution to avoid a government shutdown.