Republicans To Filibuster Bill Averting Government Shutdown, Debt Default

Congress has only a few days to act before the federal government shuts down and begins furloughing workers in the middle of a pandemic.

Senate Republicans are set to block a House-passed bill on Monday that would avert a government shutdown as well as an unprecedented default on U.S. debt holdings that could roil financial markets and disrupt basic government operations.

The vote on the measure is expected to fall along party lines, well short of the 60 needed to advance.

What happens next regarding government funding, the more immediate problem, is unclear. The government is funded through Sept. 30, meaning lawmakers only have a few days to act before the federal government begins furloughing workers in the middle of a pandemic.