The United States government is just hours away from a shutdown. Federal agencies are making final preparations as the government teeters on the edge of closure. Members of Congress are racing against a midnight deadline on Saturday, September 30, 2023.
The likelihood of avoiding a government shutdown seems slim after House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy failed, once again, to find consensus within his own party on government funding on Friday. This has left Congress at an impasse.
Internal disputes among Republican House members have played a significant role in stalling Congress on budget matters. It remains unclear how the U.S. government will resolve this shutdown threat, causing heightened concerns on Capitol Hill. Ending the government shutdown is expected to be no easy task.
McCarthy also faces the threat of removal if he collaborates with the Democratic Party. He is facing resistance from the hardline conservative faction within his own party, the Republican Party.
This government shutdown is expected to have widespread impacts across the country. Several services will come to a halt, from air travel to clean drinking water. Many other government services will be disrupted, although services deemed essential for public safety will continue.
Both parties are scheduled to convene on Saturday, just hours before the deadline. The Senate is attempting to advance a stopgap bill. House Republicans held a closed-door meeting at 9:30 a.m. earlier today.
Republican House members have so far rejected the Senate’s bipartisan proposal to keep the government funded until November 17. They have failed to unite on a plan to prevent a shutdown amid resistance from the hardline conservative bloc against any short-term funding extensions.
“After meeting with House Republicans tonight, it is clear that the Senate’s misguided legislation has no way forward and is no longer viable,” McCarthy wrote on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “The House will continue working around the clock to keep the government open and prioritize the needs of the American people.”
If a shutdown occurs, most of the 4 million-plus government employees will not be paid. In Atlanta, former President Jimmy Carter’s 99th birthday celebration was postponed from Sunday to Saturday to avoid disruption.
This impasse comes just months after Congress brought the federal government to the brink of defaulting on its $31.4 trillion debt. This drama has raised concerns on Wall Street, where Moody’s rating agency has warned that it could damage the creditworthiness of the U.S.
Congress typically passes temporary spending bills to provide more time to negotiate detailed legislation governing funding for federal programs.
This year, a group of Republican lawmakers has blocked action in the House as they push for stricter immigration and spending cuts below the agreed-upon debt ceiling from last spring.
On Friday, 21 Republican Party members joined the Democratic Party to reject legislation reflecting those demands. The House was supposed to focus on passing a detailed one-year fiscal budget, even if it leads to a near-term shutdown.
This has angered other Republican Party members, who say they wasted an opportunity to advance conservative policies. “There’s a lot of frustration growing among the 21 people who chose to vote no on a very good plan,” said Republican Representative Nicole Malliotakis of New York on Friday.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said the House may try to rely on Democrats to help pass a temporary spending bill that would continue funding at current levels, although that could face challenges from hardline groups. He did not provide further details.
The Senate will hold a procedural vote at 1:00 p.m. local time (17:00 GMT) to extend government funding until November 17. The Senate has broad support from both Republican and Democratic parties, but various hurdles facing the Senate may delay the final vote until Tuesday.
Even if the bill is passed, both parties must resolve their differences before sending any legislation to President Joe Biden’s desk. This could pose another obstacle, as McCarthy has said he opposes the $6 billion in aid to Ukraine included in the Senate’s bill. “We continue to look for a way out,” he said on Friday.
