Uncertainty Mounts as Government Shutdown Drags On

Monica Guerra, Executive Director and Head of US Policy at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, discusses the impact of the US government shutdown.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said it’s time for the House to start thinking about returning to Washington to change the proposed stopgap’s funding date beyond Nov. 21 as the government shutdown drags on.

“For sure, every day that passes, we have less time to fund the government,” Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters Monday. “Every week that drags by, it’s going to become harder and harder to actually have a normal appropriations process.”

The government has been shut down since Oct. 1 — the longest government-wide funding lapse — as the Senate continues to repeatedly vote on the stopgap measure (H.R. 5371) that would provide funding through Nov. 21 largely based on last year’s level. The House has been on recess since Sept. 19 after passing the initial stopgap bill.

While Thune did not specifically call for the House’s return, the Senate GOP leader’s comments are notable as they signal some softening of support for Speaker Mike Johnson‘s plan of keeping the House away.

House Republican leaders have resisted bringing the chamber back to session to work on appropriations bills or advance a longer-term continuing resolution, even as Nov. 21 draws closer.

“It would do us no good to pass yet another CR out of the House, because it will meet the same fate,” Johnson (R-La.) told reporters last week. “Chuck Schumer and Senate Democrats want to close the government down.”

--------

Watch Bloomberg Radio LIVE on YouTube

Weekdays 7am-6pm ET

Follow us on X

Subscribe to our Podcasts:

Bloomberg Daybreak

Bloomberg Surveillance

Bloomberg Intelligence

Balance of Power

Bloomberg Businessweek

Listen on Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business app:

Apple CarPlay

Android Auto

Visit our YouTube channels:

Bloomberg Podcasts

Bloomberg Television

Bloomberg Originals