US confronts risk of government shutdown amid congressional disagreements over budget, election laws
Date
9/12/2024 4:41:22 AM
(MENAFN) The potential for a shutdown of federal institutions in the United States has emerged again, just two months before the upcoming elections. This risk intensified after a critical vote in Congress, scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed due to internal disagreements among the Republican majority. House Speaker Mike Johnson announced the delay, stating that work would continue through the weekend to resolve the issue. Johnson is dealing with a significant challenge from Republican lawmakers who are demanding more stringent fiscal discipline and are reluctant to approve any budget measures that might exceed the set spending limits. This internal discord has prevented Johnson from securing sufficient Republican support to pass a six-month government budget extension without the aid of House Democrats. The pressing issue is that Congress must approve the 2025 budget by the end of September, coinciding with the close of the fiscal year, to ensure continued funding for federal services. If a budget is not approved, the country faces a government shutdown, leading to the potential furlough of millions of federal employees, suspension of certain social services like food assistance, and disruptions to air traffic, among other consequences.
Further complicating the budget negotiations, a provision has been added to the budget proposal under the influence of former President Donald Trump. This provision would require voters to present proof of citizenship when registering to vote in federal elections. Trump, who remains a powerful figure among House Republicans, has threatened a government shutdown if this requirement is not included in the final budget bill. He continues to claim, without substantiation, that the 2020 election was fraudulent. However, the Biden administration has rejected this proposal, arguing that noncitizen voting is already illegal and there is no evidence that undocumented immigrants participated in the 2020 election. Despite Trump's push, at least ten Republican lawmakers opposed the proposal during the recent discussions. Given that the Republican majority in the House is slim—holding only a four-vote margin—any bill they pass without Democratic support faces a steep challenge.
Meanwhile, in the Senate, Democrats are considering issuing an ultimatum to their Republican counterparts: either agree to a measure that extends the budget deadline through the end of the year or trigger a government shutdown. With the elections approaching in just two months, which will see the entire House of Representatives up for reelection, many Republicans are wary of a potentially unpopular shutdown that could hurt their electoral prospects. Speaker Mike Johnson, who is also up for reelection in November, has warned of the absence of any alternative plan should the budget extension fail to pass, underscoring the urgency of the situation.
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