US Senate advances interim government funding ahead of shutdown
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The Senate agrees to advance a bill funding the federal government, nearly dodging a government shutdown.
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The Capitol is seen late September 26, 2023, in Washington, as lawmakers work to advance appropriations bills on the House floor (AP)
The United States Senate overwhelmingly voted in favor of advancing a crucial bill aimed at temporarily funding the federal government and delivering substantial financial assistance to Ukraine.
With the impending threat of a government shutdown looming at the end of the month, the senators voted 77-19 in favor of invoking cloture on a motion to proceed to the legislation.
This vital legislative piece, known as the "Continuing Appropriations Act," is designed to fund the federal government through November 17. The bill's primary objective is to provide lawmakers with an extended window to pass comprehensive spending bills while also including an allocation of over $6 billion in military and economic aid for Ukraine.
The inclusion of Ukraine aid within the broader government funding package has sparked significant debate, particularly among some Republican lawmakers in the House of Representatives.
Republicans vehemently oppose the integration of Ukraine assistance into a government funding measure, as well as endorsing a short-term funding bill. Consequently, this dissent sets the stage for a potential showdown between the two chambers of Congress in the coming days.
A government shutdown, should it materialize, would lead to suspending "nonessential" government operations until Congress successfully passes a funding resolution.
This would have far-reaching consequences, affecting millions of federal workers, including over 1.3 million active-duty troops, as highlighted by the White House. Notably, the most recent government shutdown, which transpired from late 2018 to early 2019, extended for a record-setting 34-36 days.
Race against time
Leaders from both sides of the aisle in Congress have been racing against time to pass a short-term funding extension, aiming to prevent a government shutdown and maintain essential services. However, the success of this plan remains uncertain due to deep-seated divisions over spending priorities and policy disagreements, particularly concerning aid to Ukraine.
Read more: 41% of Americans critical of US aid to Ukraine: Post-ABC poll
Government funding is set to expire at the stroke of midnight on Saturday, September 30, marking the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1. If Congress fails to enact legislation to renew funding by this deadline, the federal government will cease non-essential operations and services at midnight. The full impact of the shutdown is expected to become evident at the start of the work week on Monday.
In the event of a government shutdown, many federal operations and services will grind to a halt, except for those categorized as essential.
Federal agencies maintain contingency plans that outline which activities will continue and which will be suspended. Critical functions like border protection, federal law enforcement, and air traffic control are expected to carry on.
"If you’re a government worker, it’s highly disruptive — whether you’re not going to work or whether you are," said Maya MacGuineas, president of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization.
"If you're somebody who wants to use one of the services that you can’t get access to … it’s highly disruptive. But for many people … all the things that they are expecting and used to seeing of government are still happening and the inconveniences and the kind of wasted time and wasted resources aren’t things that they see and feel directly."
Read more: Biden warns GOP extremists: Government shutdown a threat to all
Stark warning
The White House, meanwhile, issued a stark warning regarding the potential consequences of a shutdown. The administration estimates that 10,000 children would lose access to Head Start programs (free learning and development services), air traffic controllers and transportation security officers would work without pay, causing travel delays, and food safety inspections by the Food and Drug Administration would also be delayed.
The White House urged House Republicans to prioritize the well-being of Americans over political games and ideological demands.
As the clock ticks down, the nation watches with bated breath, hoping that lawmakers can bridge their differences and avert a government shutdown that could have far-reaching consequences.
