President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg Urgently Warn Republicans: Avoid Shutdown or Face Dire Consequences

President Joe Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are urging congressional Republicans to resolve their differences and avoid a government shutdown before next Sunday, when federal funding is set to lapse. The consequences of a shutdown would be far-reaching, affecting military pay, air travel, and important public programs. Biden emphasized that a government shutdown could impact food safety, cancer research, and Head Start programs for children. He called on Republicans to fulfill their responsibility to fund the government and do the job they were elected to do.

Buttigieg echoed these concerns, emphasizing that a shutdown would halt training for new air traffic controllers and leave working controllers without pay. He urged House Republicans to "come to their senses" and keep the government running. Despite a weekend of private negotiations, there has been no indication that the GOP is moving toward a resolution. House Republicans have yet to agree on a strategy for approving a stopgap spending measure, with some members pushing for full-year spending bills with steep cuts. However, this tactic is seen as mostly symbolic and unlikely to result in a resolution.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has initiated a procedure for the Senate to pass its own temporary funding measure with both Democratic and Republican votes. A test vote is scheduled for Tuesday. Additionally, a bipartisan group in the House is exploring procedural options to bring an interim spending plan to the floor. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is considering a 45-day extension of federal spending into November, but he is likely to face opposition from both Democrats and Republicans.

If McCarthy relies on Democratic support to pass a continuing resolution, he may face a challenge to his leadership from far-right members of his party. The urgency to avoid a government shutdown is clear, as the repercussions would be felt across the country. Biden and Buttigieg are intensifying their warnings in the hopes of pushing Republicans toward a resolution that keeps the government running and avoids disruption to critical services and programs.