As the date draws near, Congress is facing a steep climb to avoid a government shutdown less than two weeks away.
With less than fourteen days until the end of the fiscal year on September 30th, Congress must quickly pass a spending bill to avoid another shutdown of the federal government. Such a shutdown would stall government services, creating major disruptions to essential services and programs such as Social Security and Medicare.
The looming chaos and uncertainty of a potential government shutdown has both Democrats and Republicans hurrying to craft a deal that would not only succeed in avoiding a shutdown but also secure funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall proposal. If neither side compromises, Congress could be forced into a dimly lit corner where the looming deadline forces it into a hasty decision that would leave it unsatisfied.
In order to prevent a government shutdown, both sides of Congress must compromise.
Republicans are pushing for full funding for President Trump’s $5 billion border wall plan–a proposal Democrats have so far failed to approve. Democrats, on the other hand, are advocating for a bill that does not include any funding for a border wall, but instead focuses on funding social service programs that would help those impacted by the president’s proposed policies.
Each party must be willing to make concessions in order to successfully pass a budget and avoid a shutdown. A bipartisan agreement is the only way to ensure that the government stays open and both sides can proceed in a orderly fashion.
Congress has already missed a few deadlines and is just days away from the final deadline with chances of passing a budget diminishing with each passing day. This means both sides of the aisle must rapidly come together and put an agreement into motion to prevent another government shutdown.
Time is crucial–and with a forced compromise, Congress must not only aim to pass a budget but also take into account the long-term affects the passed legislation will have.
If Congress is unable to reach an agreement by the deadline, the government will be forced to close its doors. A government shutdown could have serious consequences, so it’s essential that both Republicans and Democrats act quickly and decisively to prevent it from happening.