Biden pointed out that he had reached an agreement with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on government spending levels a few months ago…reports Asian Lite News
With the US government on the brink of a shutdown this week as Congress remains at an impasse on a funding deal, U.S. President Joe Biden and one of his senior aides issued a warning about the potential far-reaching repercussions of the shutdown. They emphasised the significant impact, including the swift loss of food benefits for nearly 7 million low-income women and children.
Speaking at a meeting focused on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Biden underscored that the failure of Congress to fund the federal government would have dire consequences, particularly affecting the Black community. These consequences encompass reduced nutritional benefits, decreased inspections of hazardous waste sites, and weakened enforcement of fair housing laws.
Biden pointed out that he had reached an agreement with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on government spending levels a few months ago, the Reuters reported.
“We made a deal, we shook hands,” Reuters reported Biden as saying. “Now a small group of extreme House Republicans .. don’t want to live up to that deal, and everyone in America could be faced with paying the price for it.”
However, he expressed frustration that a small faction of extreme House Republicans was unwilling to honour that agreement, potentially forcing all Americans to bear the consequences.
When asked if he had spoken with McCarthy, Biden indicated that they hadn’t communicated, and he shook his head when questioned about a future conversation.
Meanwhile, federal departments and agencies have begun the mandatory process of planning to bring nonessential functions to a halt, local media reported.
Every department and agency has its own set of plans and procedures. That guidance includes information on how many employees would get furloughed, which employees are essential and would work without pay, how long it would take to wind down operations in the hours before a shutdown, and which activities would come to a halt. Those plans can vary from shutdown to shutdown, CNN reported.
The Office of Management and Budget reminded senior agency officials Friday to update and review shutdown plans.
Should Congress fail to pass a short-term spending bill to keep the proverbial lights on, a shutdown could have enormous impacts on all Americans, in areas from air travel to clean drinking water.
The nearly 4 million Americans who are federal employees will feel the effect immediately. Essential workers will remain on the job, but others will be furloughed until the shutdown is over. None will be paid during the impasse, CNN reported.
For many of them, a shutdown would strain their finances, as it did during the record 35-day funding lapse in 2018-2019, CNN reported.