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Rabat – The US federal government is on the verge of a shutdown as lawmakers are racing against a Saturday midnight deadline to introduce a new legislature and agree on a spending bill.
As Congress prepares to vote later today on a 45-day short-term spending bill to try to avert the crisis, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he would make a last-minute push to avoid the lapse of funding.
The bill is set to include natural disaster aid requested by the White House, but not $6 billion in aid for Ukraine, which Republicans have opposed.
“If I have to risk my job for standing up for the American public, I will do that,” McCarthy said in reply to concerns that some of his fellow Republicans will try to oust him over the bill. “I want to keep government open while we finish our job.”
In the event of a shutdown, federal government workers will face furloughs, while more than two million active military personnel will have to work without pay.
Social programs throughout the country will also face shutdowns.
The funding bill has faced difficulties due to disagreements among Republicans, who hold a narrow 221-212 majority in the House, leading many to believe that McCarthy’s plan will require Democratic votes in order to progress.
