The last few months have seen Congress grappling for solutions on a range of issues, but lawmakers are now returning to Capitol Hill with renewed enthusiasm to prevent a government shutdown. With the end of the fiscal year looming, the House of Representatives is endeavoring to pass a continuing resolution that will keep government offices running while they work out a permanent budget. At the same time, the House Republicans are considering pressing ahead with an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden.
Time is short for Congress to act. The House has only 11 days to act before the end of the fiscal year on September 30th and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has written a letter to his colleagues saying that their priority for return is “funding the government and preventing House Republican extremists from forcing a government shutdown.” The White House also wants to avoid a shutdown, which could damage the economy, disrupt disaster preparedness, and leave service members without guaranteed pay.
Republican Speaker Kevin McCarthy is looking to pass a stopgap budget that will prevent a shutdown, but he will have to persuade conservative members of the Freedom Caucus to drop their demands and unite to pass the resolution. In addition to the government funding, the White House is also requesting more than $40 billion in emergency funding, much of which is directed towards Ukraine and US disaster relief.
The looming impeachment inquiry is a controversial issue in Congress. While moderate Republicans have so far resisted trying to impeach President Biden, Donald Trump has encouraged his party to move forward with an impeachment inquiry into Hunter Biden’s overseas business dealings. Preoccupied with the impeachment inquiry, legislative priorities such as drug pricing reform and rail safety will have to wait until later in the year.
The Republicans are also facing health problems as they return from recess. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has faced health concerns lately after suffering a concussion in March. He was cleared to work by the Capitol’s attending physician, but speculation is mounting over whether he will continue to lead the party. California Democrat Sen. Dianne Feinstein has also been hospitalized for shingles in the past few months while Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 Republican, revealed his diagnosis of a form of blood cancer.
In spite of the lingering health concerns, Congress is focused on keeping the government open and avoiding a government shutdown. With bipartisan cooperation becoming increasingly important, these 11 remaining days could prove to be a defining moment in Congress and could very well shape the future of the nation for years to come.
