Washington [US], September 23: The White House on September 22 (US time) planned to begin notifying federal agencies to prepare for a possible government shutdown after the US House of Representatives suddenly closed for the weekend from Thursday (September 21).
Up to now, Republican lawmakers in the US House of Representatives have been unable to promote a budget bill that would allow the federal government to continue operating normally when the new fiscal year begins on October 1.
If the US Congress fails to approve the spending bill before October 1, hundreds of thousands of federal officials and employees will have to take unpaid leave, and some essential government services will be suspended due to budget shortages.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is facing his second defeat within a week after his proposal to handle the draft defense budget failed to pass because of opposition from the far-right Republican Party's parliamentary group. draw.
The five veto members were Republican congressmen Dan Bishop of North Carolina, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Eli Crane of Arizona, Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and Matt Rosendale of Montana.
The vote on September 21 marked the second time in a week that efforts to find a way out of the threat of government shutdown failed, after a group of far-right lawmakers blocked the bill on September 19.
Some Republicans plan to prepare four different budget bills, but the White House said that President Joe Biden can veto two bills, according to Reuters.
Former President Donald Trump , a bright candidate in the Republican race, urged members of the party to take advantage of the opportunity to protest the Biden administration's promotion of four criminal trials against him. in the US election year 2024.
Many federal government agencies could have their operations disrupted and hundreds of thousands of federal officials and employees forced to take unpaid leave if the budget bill cannot be passed in time before October 1.
Of these, about half of the Pentagon's 800,000 civilian employees will be affected. Funding for local police departments may be delayed. Scientific research activities of government institutes were also interrupted. The Securities and Exchange Commission can force up to 90% of its 4,600 employees to take unpaid leave.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper