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As members of Congress get again to work, there’s a serious precedence on lawmakers’ to-do checklist: There might be a partial government shutdown in a couple of days with no bipartisan answer. In reality, on Friday, present funding is poised to expire for the departments of Agriculture, Power, Housing and City Improvement, Transportation, and Veterans Affairs.
As issues stand, a breakdown seems increasingly unlikely. After the newest White Home assembly between President Joe Biden and congressional leaders, the important thing gamers seemed optimistic about avoiding a shutdown. Whereas GOP leaders insisted that they weren’t ready to move one other momentary spending invoice, they’re apparently abandoning such discuss, which in flip lowers the chances of a shutdown.
However as an answer slowly takes form, it’s value appreciating why so many Republicans have introduced us to the brink of one other avoidable catastrophe.
It may be tempting to suppose the events disagree on the quantity of presidency spending, however on this occasion, that’s not the issue: Senate Majority Chief Chuck Schumer and Home Speaker Mike Johnson agreed to topline spending numbers in early January.
The issue just isn't how a lot to spend; it’s what GOP members wish to add to the spending payments. The headline a New York Instances’ report on this summarized the matter properly: “Republican Demands and Divisions Drive Impasse Toward a Shutdown.”
The spending showdown that has introduced the federal government to the brink of a partial shutdown this week is being fueled by Republicans in Congress, who, after failing of their efforts to slash federal funding, are nonetheless insisting on right-wing coverage dictates. Home Republicans loaded up their spending payments with tons of of partisan coverage mandates, a overwhelming majority of which had no likelihood of passing the Democratic-controlled Senate or being signed by President Biden.
The sensible issues aren't irrelevant: GOP members won't achieve pursuing these targets, however their pursuit of the far-right priorities retains pushing the nation nearer to the newest Republican-imposed authorities shutdown.
However because the congressional disputes proceed, there’s worth in voters understanding what, precisely, the Home’s far-right Republican majority is fighting for. Among the many measures — identified on Capitol Hill as “riders” — that GOP lawmakers wish to add to spending payments:
- Imposing new restrictions on entry to abortion treatment
- Stopping the Division of Veterans Affairs from flagging veterans deemed mentally incompetent in a federal background verify wanted for gun purchases
- Focusing on a proposed improve in diet help for low-income households
- Pushing new restrictions on the sorts of meals low-income shoppers should buy with SNAP advantages
- Making an attempt to dam some small earmarks for LGBTQ+ neighborhood facilities
Once more, there’s little to recommend that Republicans will get their manner, and chances are high, GOP leaders will abandon their earlier discuss, comply with a stopgap spending invoice, and forestall a shutdown.
Nevertheless it issues that the nation is 2 days from the newest shutdown as a result of a bunch of Home Republicans consider preventing for the aforementioned targets are a worthy trigger.
