The US Congress faces a challenge for the second time in as many weeks. risk of administrative closure Due to a lack of funds, it is called a “shutdown” if Republicans and Democrats do not reach a budget agreement by Friday evening.

On September 30, hours after the border closure had already been taken for granted, then-Republican leadership in the House of Representatives decided avoid this by concluding a pact with the Democrats which caused a split in the ranks of conservatives.

The fratricidal war unleashed in the Republican Party is over fall within days from House Speaker Kevin McCarthyand the search for a new leader, who, after three weeks of shuffling and burning names, found himself Mike Johnson.

The truth is that the extension McCarthy agreed to He provided funds to the government only for a period of 45 days. which, on paper, needed to be used to negotiate a long-term budget before the money ran out again on November 17th.

Groundhog Day in Washington. Republican Cainism and the Gaza War in American Political Debates They almost consumed these 45 days without significant progress in negotiations to avoid “closure”.

Unlike September, when he put strong pressure on Congress, This time the White House remained in the backgroundwhile preparing for an administrative shutdown that will leave some two million government workers without pay as of Saturday.

“The idea that we are now playing with a shutdown” This is just crazy“the American president finally said on Thursday: Joe Bidenwho asked Congress to “get to work.”

Republicans are arriving won this week’s by-election – they lost the Virginia Legislature, an abortion referendum in Ohio and failed to regain the governorship of Kentucky – and they do not appear to be eager to turn the shutdown into a battle in which it is not clear who will win. or a loser.

“We’re going to keep the government open.” Representative Don Bacon promised at the end of the week, while Mike Johnson, the new speaker of the lower house, asked for “confidence.”

However, the countdown has begun and Republicans still can’t find a formula this prevents them from slipping into an internal crisis and allows them to achieve the budget cuts they seek or turn off the aid tap to Ukraine.

Johnson presented the proposal this Saturday approve the budget extension again, but this time with the expiration date in two stages, a strategy that later allows them to discuss issues separately.

This new formula was immediately accepted Republican lawmakers’ refusal who are skipping the cuts and are more skeptical of the White House, which said in a statement that it would lead to “even more chaos.”

The United States and its federal officials have recently become accustomed to living with this reality, which especially affects them in these last months of the year, when The fiscal year—October 1—begins without a budget.

In case of disconnection almost two million will stop receiving wages – most will return the money retroactively – and while many will stop working, many others, such as military personnel or airport workers, are required to continue to comply.

The lack of funds will cause all sorts of headaches for the administration: from the closure of museums and national parks to suspension of food health inspections or interruption of research programs.

(according to information from EFE)