Each government funding deadline is accompanied by a panicked “shutdown” news cycle.
But Washington should be taking that threat pretty seriously as Sept. 30 approaches, because nothing in the past few days will have made things easier for Congress when it returns today.
The Trump administration’s “pocket rescission” request to scrap $5 billion of congressionally-approved foreign aid has Democrats questioning Republicans’ commitment to any spending deal.
“It is clear that Republicans are prioritizing chaos over governing, partisanship over partnership, and their own power over the American people,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer writes in a letter to colleagues this morning. “The Trump administration is waging an all-out war against Congress’ Article I authority and the constitutional balance of power.”
Republicans themselves are divided over whether to pass a long-term stopgap to freeze the budget or lock in a bipartisan budget deal.