Shutdown Looms as GOP-Democrat Standoff Persists

Congress is days away from a potential government shutdown as lawmakers have not agreed on a stopgap funding bill ahead of the Sept. 30 deadline. House Republicans passed a “clean” continuing resolution, but Senate Democrats blocked it and are pushing a short-term CR that would extend Affordable Care Act marketplace subsidies and restore Medicaid funding, using leverage to demand negotiations. Republicans, including House leaders and a senior White House official, say Democrats will be blamed and have declined a scheduled meeting with Democratic leaders. GOP messaging has included false claims that Democrats seek funding for “transgender surgeries” and free health care for undocumented immigrants, which Democrats deny. A senior White House official told Politico Republicans plan to “extract maximum pain,” indicating the administration does not intend to negotiate before the deadline, and with both sides intensifying political messaging a shutdown appears increasingly likely unless a last-minute deal is reached.