Congress returns to yet another spending crisis, fears of government shutdown
- 9 years ago
Members of Congress return from summer recess facing a Sept. 30 deadline to fund the federal government, a deadline they are certain to miss, as they have each of the past 18 years.
The question is: Will the government shut down Oct. 1, or can lawmakers agree to a temporary spending plan while they argue about a longer-term solution?
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This year, the House has passed a handful of spending bills that President Obama has threatened to veto for reasons ranging from funding cuts to disputes over policy mandates; the Senate has passed none.
Obama said Saturday that a government shutdown "would be wildly irresponsible" and urged Congress to pass a spending bill that would move beyond the government-wide spending caps called "sequester" that have constrained every federal agency's budget.
The question is: Will the government shut down Oct. 1, or can lawmakers agree to a temporary spending plan while they argue about a longer-term solution?
.
This year, the House has passed a handful of spending bills that President Obama has threatened to veto for reasons ranging from funding cuts to disputes over policy mandates; the Senate has passed none.
Obama said Saturday that a government shutdown "would be wildly irresponsible" and urged Congress to pass a spending bill that would move beyond the government-wide spending caps called "sequester" that have constrained every federal agency's budget.