Central Wisconsin News

Wisconsin Rep. Tom Tiffany has weighed in on the possibility of a government shutdown, suggesting that Democrats may be more inclined to shut down the government than to secure the border. His comments come as speculation about a shutdown has been circulating for weeks, with the end of the current fiscal year approaching on September 30.

"House Republicans gave Democrats a choice to keep the government funded. 'Either shut the border or shut down the government.' Every single House Democrat voted to shut down the government," said Tiffany.

The potential for a government shutdown arises on October 1, which marks the beginning of a new fiscal year. If the 12 spending bills are not approved, a shutdown would commence at 12:01 a.m. on October 1st. Disagreements between Republicans and Democrats revolve around spending levels and the provision of additional aid to Ukraine. Lawmakers are considering a short-term funding extension, known as a continuing resolution or CR, as a way to buy more time, according to NBC News.

In the event of a shutdown, the federal government would face challenges in paying its 4 million employees, potentially leading to employee furloughs. However, essential functions such as the military and public safety roles would continue, and both President Joe Biden and members of Congress would still be working. Programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and others would remain unaffected by the shutdown, as they are not funded through the spending bills, according to NBC News.

On Friday, the House attempted to pass a continuing resolution to extend government funding for another month. However, the resolution failed with a final tally of 198 in favor and 232 against. All Democrats and more than 20 Republicans voted against the bill. Speaker Kevin McCarthy proposed the legislation, which included provisions for "billions of dollars to enhance security along the U.S.-Mexico border," as reported by CBS News.

Tensions surrounding the ongoing border crisis continue to persist, raising concerns about the effectiveness of the Biden Administration's border control strategies. Illegal migrant crossings have surged in the current month, with a significant increase of 60% compared to July figures. If this trend continues throughout the month, it is projected that migrant apprehensions may reach 210,000, the highest level since spring 2022, according to CBS News.