Senate could vote Wednesday on invoice to stop a authorities shutdown as deadline approaches

The Senate could vote as quickly as Wednesday on a invoice that will stop a authorities shutdown, Majority Chief Chuck Schumer mentioned.

Federal funding will lapse if Congress fails to move an appropriations plan earlier than midnight Thursday. Senators plan to introduce a invoice that will maintain the federal government working into early December, in keeping with Schumer, a New York Democrat.

The proposal — which would want assist from all 100 senators to maneuver via the chamber Wednesday — would additionally embrace cash for hurricane reduction and Afghan refugee resettlement.

“We are able to approve this measure rapidly and ship it to the Home so it could actually attain the president’s desk earlier than funding expires midnight tomorrow,” Schumer mentioned. “With so many vital points to deal with, the very last thing the American individuals want proper now’s a authorities shutdown.”

A lapse in funding may result in federal employee furloughs and a discount in providers. The Biden administration’s Workplace of Administration and Finances has despatched shutdown steering to businesses forward of the funding deadline.

If lawmakers can maintain the federal government working, they are going to solely stop one looming disaster. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has advised Congress the U.S. will run out of ways to pay its bills around Oct. 18 if lawmakers don’t hike or droop the debt restrict — elevating the prospect of a first-ever default that might wreck the U.S. financial system.

Authorities funding and the debt ceiling are separate points. Elevating the borrowing restrict doesn’t authorize future spending and permits the Treasury to cowl its present obligations.

Democrats, who management each chambers of Congress, tried to move off each crises in a single swoop this week. The Home handed a invoice that will fund the federal government and droop the debt ceiling, however Republicans blocked it in the Senate on Monday. The GOP has opposed efforts to boost the debt restrict.

As soon as Congress approves an appropriations invoice, Democrats should discover a method to keep away from default on their very own. On Tuesday, Republicans — who seem set on boxing their counterparts into growing the ceiling as a part of their huge funding in social packages and local weather coverage — blocked a movement that will have allowed Democrats to hike the debt restrict with a easy majority vote.

Schumer on Wednesday mentioned attempting to boost the ceiling via the funds reconciliation course of would put Congress in “uncharted waters.”

“It is rather dangerous and will effectively lead us to default even when just one senator needed that to occur,” he mentioned. “So you may’t do it via this route.”

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