Another government shutdown appears inevitable

Here we go again. The clock is once again ticking on efforts to pass a federal spending bill and avoid a government shutdown. When President Trump signed the order to reopen the federal government, he insisted on a deadline of February 15 to get agreement on funding for border security. That is one week from today. There have been some talks, even perhaps some progress. But the reality is it is looking increasingly unlikely that our politicians in Washington can find common ground and get a deal done before the deadline passes. While the deadline is technically a week away, there really isn’t that much time left. House rules require legislation be released three days before it receives a vote by Congress, meaning Monday is likely the latest legislation to keep the government open could be finalized. If it isn’t, Congress may again have to rely on a short-term continuing resolution to keep the government from shutting down once again. That is a path we should work to avoid. The most recent shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, left parks and national monuments shuttered and will likely lead to delays in the processing of tax returns. It is the job of Congress to pass a budget and keep the federal government operational. But once again it appears Congress is failing to do its most basic job.