The US government is facing a possible shutdown on Friday, November 17, if Congress fails to pass a stopgap spending bill. The current funding measure expires on Thursday night, and lawmakers have yet to reach an agreement on a new one.
The House of Representatives is controlled by Republicans, while the Senate is controlled by Democrats. This has made it difficult for the two parties to agree on a spending bill. Republicans have been pushing for cuts to government spending, while Democrats have resisted those cuts.
The latest proposal from House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is a two-tiered funding bill that would temporarily fund the government through January 19 for some sectors and February 2 for others. This proposal has been met with resistance from both Republicans and Democrats. Some Republicans believe the bill does not go far enough in cutting government spending, while some Democrats believe it cuts too much.
The Senate is expected to vote on the House funding bill on Wednesday. If the bill passes the Senate, it will then go back to the House for a final vote. However, it is unclear if the bill has enough support to pass either chamber.
If the government shuts down, it would mean that non-essential federal workers would be furloughed and essential workers would work without pay. It would also mean that many federal services would be suspended or delayed.
A government shutdown would be disruptive to the economy and to the lives of millions of Americans. It is important that lawmakers in Congress put their differences aside and come to an agreement on a funding bill to keep the government running.