Businessmen Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, who will lead a new group called the Department of Government Efficiency to cut federal spending, are raising concerns over a proposal that would extend the lifeline of a controversial State Department-housed office.

The provision has caused an uproar among Republican offices on Capitol Hill, where conservative lawmakers say House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and congressional leaders are caving to Democrats to save the Global Engagement Center. It was tucked into a 1,500-page spending bill to prevent a government shutdown ahead of the House and Senate adjourning for Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Year’s holidays.

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