It's a new month and it comes with an old problem: a potential government shutdown. The Biden White House is calling on Congress to pass a temporary spending bill that would keep Washington, D.C. running. But there are a few obstacles in the roadway.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:01 - It's a new month and it comes with an old problem,
00:04 a potential government shutdown.
00:06 The Biden White House is calling on Congress
00:08 to pass a temporary spending bill
00:10 which would keep Washington DC running,
00:12 but there are a few obstacles in the roadway.
00:15 John Lawrence has more.
00:17 - As millions of Americans will grow with friends
00:21 and family this Labor Day weekend,
00:23 there's a growing concern looming over the nation's capital.
00:27 - This is their job.
00:29 I'm talking about them doing their job
00:31 and making sure that the government doesn't shut down.
00:33 It is not a difficult thing.
00:34 It is very simple.
00:35 - The government's metaphorical bank book
00:37 is set to go broke later this month
00:39 when the current fiscal year comes to an end.
00:42 - Annually we put out a budget
00:43 which showed the enormity of the problem
00:45 and yet nobody wants to continue to address it.
00:48 - An office of management and budget spokesperson
00:50 issued a statement to CNN that said, quote,
00:53 "It is clear that a short-term continuing resolution
00:55 "will be needed next month."
00:57 The White House says a CR is needed
00:59 to pay for assistance-based initiatives, including WIC,
01:03 which stands for the Women, Infants,
01:05 and Children Nutrition Program.
01:08 - This is what they are supposed to do,
01:09 make sure that the government works,
01:11 and key, key vital pieces of programs
01:15 continue to get funded.
01:16 - But there's a laundry list of disagreements
01:19 between congressional officials
01:21 keeping the threat of a potential shutdown alive.
01:23 - It's gonna take a long, concerted, bipartisan effort
01:27 to get our fiscal house back in order.
01:29 - I'm John Lawrence reporting.