The House of Representatives has returned to Washington after a five-week recess, with preventing a government shutdown as a top priority. The Senate has already approved a stopgap measure that secures funding through December, aiming to prevent a shutdown during the midterm elections. The next step lies with the House.
Democratic Representative Glenn Ivey of Maryland, a member of the House Appropriations Committee, addressed the situation on Morning Edition, noting the “very good chance” of the bill’s passage. He remains undecided on his vote but considers the potential impact on many federal workers in his district should a shutdown occur. Ivey also acknowledges a political element in his decision given the upcoming November midterm elections.
Ivey stated, “You can’t get everything you want, so there’s a chance that I might vote for it to keep the government open.”
He expressed the intention of the Democrats to direct voter attention towards issues like health care, tariffs, and affordability, avoiding conflict over another shutdown. Ivey also criticized the Trump administration’s approach to the appropriations process. He pointed out the lack of necessary information from the Office of Management and Budget for Congress to make informed funding decisions.
The full interview is available for listening in the embedded audio player at the top.
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