White House To Tell Federal Agencies To Brace For Shutdown Amid Debt Crisis - Reports

The White House budget office will tell federal agencies on Thursday to begin preparing for the first shutdown of the US government since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, as lawmakers in Congress struggle to reach a funding agreement, the Washington Post reported

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2021) The White House budget office will tell Federal agencies on Thursday to begin preparing for the first shutdown of the US government since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, as lawmakers in Congress struggle to reach a funding agreement, the Washington Post reported.

Administration officials stress the request is in line with traditional procedures seven days ahead of a shutdown and not a commentary on the likelihood of a congressional deal. Both Democrats and Republicans have made clear they intend to fund the government before its funding expires on September 30, but time is running out and lawmakers are aiming to resolve an enormous set of related tasks in a matter of weeks.

The Post report emerged as US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed on Thursday to overcome political opposition and pass a temporary funding bill to raise the country's debt limit in order to keep the government running.

House Democrats approved on Tuesday the temporary legislation to keep the government funded through early December, lift the limit on federal borrowing through the end of 2022 and provide emergency money for Afghan refugees and natural disaster recovery. But their Republican rivals have expressed unwillingness to back the measure in the Senate.

A bill to raise the US debt limit is needed to avert a government shutdown when funding lapses next week.

A group of six former US Treasury secretaries urged in a letter to Pelosi on Wednesday to not let a politically divided Congress be the reason for the world's largest economy to default on its fiscal commitments.