Tag: possible government shutdown

High anxiety hits Senate over raising debt ceiling

The Hill logoSenators are growing anxious that they might have to vote to raise the nation’s debt ceiling in a matter of weeks given new estimates that the government could hit its borrowing limit earlier than expected.

The debt limit was exceeded earlier this year, and the Treasury Department is now taking steps known as “extraordinary measures” to prevent the government from going over its borrowing limit.

Lawmakers had hoped they would be able to avoid the politically painful vote to raise the debt ceiling until the fall — and that it could be packaged with other legislation to fund the government and set budget caps on spending.

View the complete July 10 article by Jordain Carney on The Hill website here.

House conservatives cast doubt on GOP leaders’ shutdown strategy

The following article by Cristin Marcos and Melanie Zanona was posted on the Hill website December 1, 2017:

© Greg Nash

House conservatives said Friday that they opposed GOP leaders’ proposal to keep the government funded up to a few days before Christmas, throwing a wrench into plans to avoid a shutdown.

Republicans emerged from a conference meeting on Friday divided over a strategy to avoid a government shutdown when funding runs out in one week.

GOP leaders had proposed passing a two-week stopgap measure next week to keep the government funded through Dec. 22 so that lawmakers could have time to work out a budget deal. Continue reading “House conservatives cast doubt on GOP leaders’ shutdown strategy”