Congress has little time to avoid a government shutdown that is set to begin at 12:01 a.m. on Oct. 1. They are nowhere near an agreement.

After a six-week summer recess, lawmakers return to the Capitol on Monday facing a changed political landscape but a vexing, very familiar problem: figuring out how to avert a shutdown.

They have just three weeks to do so. Funding for the government runs out at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, and former President Donald Trump is urging Republicans to force a shutdown unless certain demands are met. A shutdown would close federal agencies and national parks, while limiting public services and furloughing millions of workers just weeks before the election.

The presidential race looms over the final stretch for Congress; it is expected to leave again at the end of the month and return after Election Day. When the House left town for its summer break on July 25, President Joe Biden had just dropped out of the presidential race, Democrats were preparing to pick Vice President Kamala Harris as their new standard bearer, and Republicans were rushing to draw up a new playbook against Harris.

House Republicans have now settled on some lines of attack, which they’ll highlight in politically charged GOP hearings and investigations into both Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, on issues from border security to the Afghanistan withdrawal.

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    3 months ago

    Proposal for a new law executive order, backed by “fuck you, official action”:

    First order of business for the House must be to pass the budget. Not a continuing resolution, or a 3-6 month kick the can thing. Pass the fucking budget. Representatives are locked in the House, and the House Sergeant at Arms posts armed guards to prevent anyone from exiting until the budget is passed. All exit is denied. No exceptions. No, not even medical. Bring paramedics, or even doctors and any equipment they may require in, but they can’t leave either. Order Uber Eats… but they can’t leave either. Bring your friends or family, they can’t leave either. Until you do your fucking job. It’s a one-fucking-way door until you pass the fucking budget.

    This constant fucking grabassery and crisis manufacture is absolutely asinine and categorically fucking stupid.