Lawmakers are returning to a challenging September where spending bills for the next budget year will be a focal point. The new budget year starts on October 1, necessitating a short-term funding measure to avert a government shutdown. Partisan tensions are heightened, with both parties trading blame over potential shutdowns. The Democrats emphasized the importance of bipartisanship in a letter to Republicans while also expressing concern about the Republican leadership's solo legislative moves. Republicans countered with accusations against Democrats, indicating a highly charged atmosphere going forward.
Lawmakers will use much of September to work on spending bills for the coming budget year, which begins Oct. 1. They likely will need to pass a short-term spending measure to keep the government funded for a few weeks while they work on a longer-term measure that covers the full year.
It's not unusual for leaders from both parties to blame the other party for a potential shutdown, but the rhetoric began extra early this year, signaling the threat of a stoppage is more serious than usual.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries sent their Republican counterparts a sharply-worded letter calling for a meeting to discuss the government funding deadline and the health care crisis.
Republicans have taken note of the warnings and are portraying the Democrats as itching for a shutdown they hope to blame on the GOP.
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