With just two weeks until the looming government shutdown, Congress is facing a steep climb to pass a new federal budget. The current continuing resolution that funds the government is set to expire on November 21st and without a new budget, the government will shut down on November 22nd.
The shutdown stemmed from the Trump administration’s demand for $5 billion in funding for a border wall between Mexico and the U.S. That demand has been met with fierce opposition from Democrats in Congress who have refused to pass any budget that includes funding for the wall. As a result, both sides have been unable to reach an agreement, leaving Congress with just two weeks to avoid the shutdown.
To avoid the shutdown, Republicans and Democrats need to pass a new budget that is acceptable to both parties. Without such an agreement, the government will shut down on November 22nd, leading to consequences like disruption of government services, unpaid government employees, and a potential financial crisis.
The situation has been further complicated by the fact that Congress is just starting to debate the budget. This leaves lawmakers with a limited amount of time to reach an agreement before the shutdown. Additionally, there is still the possibility of a government shutdown even if Congress passes a budget, as President Trump could veto the budget due to his demands for border wall funding, thus triggering another shutdown.
Congress needs to act quickly if it wants to avoid a government shutdown. The consequences would be severe, and should be avoided at all costs. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle need to come together and find a way to pass a budget that both parties can agree on before November November 21st. Otherwise, the US government will be faced with a shutdown and all the potential consequences that come along with it.