Clock ticking for US Congress as govt shutdown looms

WASHINGTON: The US Congress on Wednesday had just two days left before the federal government begins shutting many of its operations unless Democrats manage to pass a bill providing new funding for the fiscal year that begins on Friday.

Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate were expected to put a temporary funding bill, possibly extending through December 3, up for a vote as soon as Wednesday in the hope that Republicans will support it. Passing that would head off one crisis for President Joe Biden’s Democrats — who campaigned on a platform of responsible government after Republican Donald Trump’s turbulent four years in office.

But more risks are ahead as progressive House Democrats are vowing to vote against a $1-trillion infrastructure bill set to come to the floor on Thursday, due to intraparty fights over a much larger social spending bill.

Behind it all looms the threat of the federal government hitting its $28.4 trillion debt ceiling around October 18, an event that could cause a historic default. With such a daunting agenda hanging in the balance, Biden cancelled a Wednesday trip to Chicago so that he could lead negotiations with Congress, the White House said. — Reuters