A potential government shutdown is looming as Republican leaders face challenges in garnering sufficient support to pass a last-minute funding agreement. Should this deal fail to gain approval, federal workers may experience delayed paychecks, federal parks and monuments may close, and programs for low-income children could be disrupted. The chances of a shutdown have increased significantly after conservative hard-liners in the House blocked a proposed 30-day stopgap measure. Despite lacking the necessary votes, Speaker Kevin McCarthy remains determined and may explore alternative strategies.
To buy more time, McCarthy intends to pass individual appropriations bills. However, this approach seems less feasible as GOP Whip Tom Emmer has informed lawmakers that there are insufficient votes to pass any Republican-drafted continuing resolution (CR). The House plans to vote on a 45-day CR that excludes Ukraine assistance agreed upon by Senate negotiators. Additional votes on three other bills related to troop payment, Federal Aviation Administration authorization, and flood insurance program reauthorization are also taking place. Nonetheless, expectations for the success of the 45-day CR vote are low.
On the other hand, the Democratic-controlled Senate is advocating for its own bipartisan plan to avoid a shutdown. This proposal includes economic and military aid for Ukraine, as well as disaster aid within the country. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is urging McCarthy to support this Senate strategy, a sentiment shared by President Joe Biden and the White House. However, McCarthy appears reluctant to call for a vote on a clean funding bill due to concerns about threats to his speakership. President Biden has expressed apprehension about the influence of conservative hard-liners within the Republican Party and their impact on governance.
The original article, written by Scott Wong, Julie Tsirkin, and Kyle Stewart, provides information on the potential government shutdown. It can be found at NBC News [link: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/u-s-barrels-toward-shutdown-house-republicans-say-they-lack-votes-rcna41849]. While the article primarily conveys facts about the situation, there is a slight political slant towards the Democrats, as it emphasizes the division within the Republican Party and their struggles in passing a funding deal. Based on analysis, this article is 80% likely to be factual news, with 20% of its content leaning towards editorializing and a 10% political slant towards the Democratic perspective.
