The United States is on the brink of a government shutdown as House Republicans refuse to support a last-minute funding proposal put forward by the Senate. The deadline for passing a new budget is midnight on Saturday, after which thousands of federal employees could face unpaid leave. The Senate has proposed a temporary funding agreement that would avoid a shutdown until 17 November, but it must pass in the House, where a group of hardline Republican members are staunchly opposed to any stopgap measure. These members have threatened to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy if he bypasses their opposition and relies on Democratic votes to pass a funding bill.
The possibility of a shutdown increased on Thursday as the Senate and the House pursued conflicting funding plans. While the Senate overwhelmingly supported a short-term funding bill, House Republicans intend to hold their own votes on spending bills that are unlikely to pass in the Senate. McCarthy has not committed to bringing the Senate bill to the House floor and instead suggested that a shutdown could be avoided if Democrats included provisions addressing border security. In recent months, McCarthy has faced a growing divide between moderate and right-wing factions within his party, with the latter demanding spending cuts and conservative priorities. It is likely that McCarthy will need Democratic support to pass a short-term spending bill, which could lead to him being ousted as Speaker.
In conclusion, the US is facing the threat of a government shutdown as House Republicans oppose a last-minute funding proposal from the Senate. The deadline for passing a new budget is imminent, and if no agreement is reached, federal employees could be put on unpaid leave. House Republicans, particularly a group of hardline members, have been vocal about their opposition to any stopgap measure and have even threatened to remove House Speaker Kevin McCarthy if he relies on Democratic votes to pass a funding bill. The possibility of a shutdown increased as the Senate and the House pursued conflicting plans, with the Senate passing a short-term funding bill that has bipartisan support and the House planning to hold its own votes on bills that are unlikely to pass in the Senate. McCarthy’s position has been further complicated by a growing divide within his party, with right-wing factions demanding spending cuts and conservative priorities. As the deadline looms, it remains to be seen whether a solution will be reached to avoid a government shutdown.