POLITICS NEWS – Congress could face a government shutdown right before the holidays

Laila Kirkpatrick, Staff Writer

This week, the federal government is expected to wrap up its legislative work for the session. This includes a short-term spending bill that must be approved to avoid a government shutdown before the holidays. The bill is expected to pass soon but must be quickly approved by the House and sent to the Senate to meet the Friday midnight deadline.

Without this short-term spending bill, the government risks plunging into a shutdown. The bill is likely to include tens of billions of dollars in federal disaster aid for victims in states ravaged by hurricanes Helene and Milton. Many parts of the country are desperate for this aid, making the passage of the bill even more crucial.

This short-term measure is the result of Congress neglecting to pass a full budget plan. Many Republicans in Congress are reportedly waiting until Donald Trump is sworn in as president to begin the process of finalizing a long-term budget.