Democrats in Washington, DC, are attempting to secure Republican support for a short-term spending bill that would keep the government funded until mid-December. The Biden administration has backed this three-month stopgap measure as part of a strategy to gain control over the current spending debate with Republicans in Congress, who are pushing for a six-month funding bill, according to a report by Axios.
If Congress and the White House fail to agree on a funding bill by September 30, the end of the fiscal year, the federal government will face a shutdown. Such an event could have significant political repercussions for either party just weeks before the upcoming election. The three-month funding bill, however, would require Congress to return for a lame-duck session after the election results are in. At that point, lawmakers would have a clearer picture of which party will control Congress and the White House in January.