Looming federal government shutdowns have become almost routine in Washington. In March, Congress was just days away from a partial shutdown before lawmakers reached a spending deal to fund parts of the government. It was another instance of Congress putting off hard decisions until the last minute.
Now, with just days until the Oct. 1 deadline, Congress faces another standoff over government funding. The Republican-led House passed a stopgap bill that would extend funding through Nov. 21, but to pass in the Senate, the bill needs the support of at least some Democrats. Democratic leaders are insisting on the inclusion of health care provisions absent from the Republican-led bill: an extension of premium Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies — which are set to expire at the end of the year — and a reversal of cuts to Medicaid funding that were enacted earlier this year. They also want new restrictions on President Donald Trump ’s ability to refuse to spend money appropriated by Congress.