The government will shut down on Tuesday at midnight if Congress doesn’t pass a short-term budget bill.
Republicans want a “clean” continuing resolution (CR), meaning keeping the same funding levels the government is running on now.
Democrats want the bill to make expanded tax cuts from the Affordable Care Act permanent and undo cuts to healthcare that were passed earlier this summer as part of H.R.1.
“We can and should avoid a shutdown,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said outside of the Connecticut State Capitol before boarding a flight to D.C. “It's easily avoidable if Republicans would just agree to save health care for millions of Americans who otherwise will be unable to afford it.”
GOP leadership has said they’re willing to work out the ACA tax cuts later, but Democrats say they aren't willing to wait.
Republicans have accused Democrats of trying to stuff their own policies into the CR.
“[Premium tax credits don’t expire] until the end of the year,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on NBC’s Meet the Press. “We can have that conversation, but before we do, release the hostage. Set the American people free, keep the government open, and then let’s have a conversation about those premium tax credits.”
President Donald Trump was expected to meet with House and Senate leadership from both parties on Monday afternoon. He canceled a similar meeting with Democratic leadership last week.
The last government shutdown was in January of 2019.
During a shutdown, non-essential government employees are furloughed. Essential employees, such as those in the military and TSA, report for work but aren't paid until the government reopens.
“It is up to the president as to which of those functions are essential,” U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) said. “So there's certainly a risk that our VA facilities could close. There is a risk that Social Security offices would stop fielding phone calls. In the past, our Head Start centers have not been deemed essential, and there have been thousands of children who no longer have a place to go for school in the morning.”
