(Washington Insider Magazine) -Things moved into hyperdrive at the start of this week when a bill revolving around the federal government budget was passed and then blocked by Senate Republicans. The bill would have raised the debt limit and increased the funding for the federal government.
Areas of the United States currently suffering from unavoidable hurricanes and others supporting Afghanistan refugees would have received billions of dollars in relief.
However, with the bill blocked, the senators now have just hours on the clock to find a different solution by the end of play today (September 30), at which point funding will be completely exhausted.
The Senate Republicans have taken a fierce stand against any bill that would increase the national debt limit ($28.8 trillion), but they are still looking for a measure that avoids any shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell said: “Democrats want to use this temporary pandemic as a trojan horse for permanent socialism.”
Unfortunately, such views have clashed with those of many Senate Democrats, with the stance being labelled as both ‘irresponsible’ and ‘reckless’.
Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer said: “Senate Republicans voted to drive our country straight towards a government shutdown, and the first default in our country’s history”.
With a government shutdown now just hours away, the Biden Administration is coming under fire from Republicans as they criticize spending plans. This comes as two bills are expected to pass through Congress in the next seven days, one regarding childcare and family support safety nets and the other revolving around infrastructure. Together, these will cost approximately $4 trillion.
With the Senate Republicans maintaining that any national debt limit rise should come alongside these two bills, we seem to be edging ever closer to the inevitable shutdown, unless a bipartisan solution can be reached.
