US government shutdown likely, may disrupt military aid to Ukraine
US government shutdown likely, may disrupt military aid to Ukraine: The likelihood of a government shutdown in the United States is less than two weeks away, and the stakes are rising as Congress is unable to come to a consensus on a short-term budget plan.
There are now a number of budget measures under discussion in Washington, but none of them have enough votes to pass both the Republican-controlled House of Representatives and the Democratic-majority Senate.
To come to a decision, lawmakers have until September 30 at midnight, after which financing for public services is scheduled to cease.
The finances of hundreds of thousands of employees are at danger during government shutdowns, as parks, museums, and other federal facilities may shutter and workers may be sent home without pay.
While most lawmakers want to avoid this scenario, certain followers of former President Donald Trump have vehemently opposed every plan that has been presented so far.
The White House released a statement on Tuesday saying, “With less than two weeks before the end of the fiscal year, extreme House Republicans are playing partisan games with peoples’ lives.”
Ukraine assistance unclear
The White House is requesting that any budget package approved by legislators contain $24 billion in military and humanitarian help for Kyiv. This standoff might have an impact on the situation in Ukraine.
Republicans and Democrats in the Senate both favor this kind of scheme, but some members of the House are vehemently against it.
Affirming her position on X, the social media platform that was formerly known as Twitter, far-right Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said, “I will not vote to fund a single penny to the war in Ukraine, COVID anything, and the political weaponized government.”
This occurs just before US President Joe Biden and President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine are scheduled to meet in Washington later this week.
Senator Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from the Senate, stated, “President Zelensky is traveling to the United States to argue for resisting Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Republican leadership in the House of Representatives is essentially telling him ‘You’re on your own.'”
June debt crisis
The impending shutdown will be the second financial impasse the world’s largest economy has faced in recent months.
After weeks of tense discussions, US senators decided in June to suspend the federal debt ceiling, barely averting a potential fiscal default for the country.
Although a default would have been unusual, there have been other shutdowns in US history, notably the 35-day period under former President Donald Trump from late 2018 to early 2019—the longest in the country’s history.
This shutdown may “leave a visible mark on the economy,” according to Gregory Daco, chief economist at EY, who made this report this week.
According to his estimations, “each week of government shutdown will cost the US economy $6 billion,” and the fourth quarter’s GDP growth would be reduced by 0.1 percentage points.
Also Read –
