WASHINGTON (AP) – President Joe Biden will convene with the top four congressional leaders at the White House on Tuesday to discuss urgent matters surrounding the allocation of military aid to foreign allies and the looming threat of a partial government shutdown at the week’s end.
During the meeting, Biden emphasized the crucial responsibility of Congress in funding the government, stressing the detrimental impact of a shutdown on the economy. Bipartisan cooperation is deemed necessary to find a solution to avert such an outcome.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are all set to attend the meeting in efforts to navigate a way forward. Critical issues on the agenda include finalizing military aid for Ukraine and determining the budget agreement reached last month to fund the government for the remainder of the fiscal year.
If a resolution is not reached on funding, various government departments, including Agriculture, Energy, Transportation, Veterans Affairs, and Housing and Urban Development, face closure at 12:01 a.m. ET Saturday. Subsequently, funding for other crucial departments will expire a week later.
The potential consequences of a government shutdown, even if partial, could result in furloughs for federal workers, disruptions in food aid programs, halts in loans to farmers, and more. Federal workers affected by the shutdown would receive back pay once the situation is resolved, per a recent law.
At the Department of Veterans Affairs, a shutdown would lead to the closure of benefit regional offices, the halting of career counseling for veterans, and the freeze of maintenance at VA cemeteries. Health care and benefits provided by the VA, however, would remain unaffected.
Lawmakers are racing against time to avert a government shutdown, with a continuing resolution possibly needed to bridge the gap until a long-term funding solution is agreed upon. The delay in reaching an agreement stems partly from demands by House conservatives for policy riders.
The ongoing funding showdown has also impacted other congressional proceedings, with the House holding off on sending articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate until after the funding process is resolved.
As the clock ticks down, the necessity for bipartisan cooperation remains paramount to circumvent a potential government shutdown and address various pressing issues facing the nation.