WASHINGTON, Sept 16 (Askume) – The U.S. Congress returns from its weekend recess on Monday and will try to reach an agreement on legislation to temporarily provide funding for a range of federal programs, but with no clear path forward and just 15 days to go, the money has run out.
Unless a stopgap spending bill is sent to President Joe Biden by midnight on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year, many agencies will cease operations and thousands of federal workers will be forced to take unfunded furloughs.
The Democratic-controlled Senate will reopen on Monday and the Republican-controlled House of Representatives will reopen on Tuesday.
Last week, House Speaker Mike JohnsonHe had to abandon his attempt to pass a spending bill as it became clear he did not have enough support from rank-and-file Republicans.
Republican infighting erupted Sunday when a feud between Reps. Bryan Steil and Corey Mills was put on full display during an interview on Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo Show.
“Shut down the government or close the border to protect our elections,” said Mills, who opposes his leadership’s bill.
He said the measure harms the US military by not providing the Pentagon with full year-round funding.
Mills also said Senate Majority Leader Schumer has made it clear he will not introduce a stopgap spending bill that comes with controversial, unrelated Republican legislation that would require people to provide proof of citizenship to register to vote.
It is already illegal for non-citizens to vote in federal elections.
Some of the most conservative members of the House never vote for a full-year spending bill, let alone a stopgap measure.
Given his party’s slim 220-211 majority, Johnson will need Republicans to pass a bill that House Democrats oppose nearly unanimously.
Responding to Mills, Steyer said he was “fairly confident” that Johnson’s bill would pass the House as early as this week.
“I think we have a chance to pass the legislation the speaker has introduced and get the U.S. Senate on board,” Steyer said.
Jamming the Senate means the House will pass its version of the bill, send it to the Senate, and then leave town. That could leave senators with two choices: approve the bill that Democrats oppose, or pass their own version without the House meeting — which would result in a government shutdown as the president and Congress convene on November 5.
A government shutdown can provoke a backlash against either party among voters. A shutdown could ultimately disrupt FAA-regulated air travel, close national parks, and disrupt many other government services.
Annual debates over spending bills are typically resolved when both parties and leaders of the House and Senate negotiate bipartisan solutions. The last government shutdown occurred in late 2018 and lasted until January 2019.
