As Congress scrambles to avoid a government shutdown, a budget watchdog warns that the chances are not in their favor.
“Experts see the chances having shot up to almost 90% at this point,” Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget President Maya MacGuineas said during an appearance on “Mornings with Maria” Thursday.
MacGuineas argued that Congress doesn’t have enough time to “get done what they need unless every single thing falls into place.”
The government is facing the threat of shutting down and causing federal workers to go without pay if Congress does not pass a funding bill by 11: 59 p.m. EST on September 30.
“It’s so silly,” MacGuineas told FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo.
“This is a deadline we’ve known about. It comes at the same time every single year,” she stressed.
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Lawmakers in Congress are negotiating over a short-term continuing resolution (CR) that would extend funding on a short-term basis to allow negotiations over spending levels for the rest of fiscal year 2024 to play out and legislation to be passed.
MacGuineas said that she’s “optimistic” about a deal, suggesting that members of Congress could agree to a “very short-term” continuing resolution to “give themselves a little breathing room.”
House Republicans are divided over the duration of a CR and whether other provisions like border security measures, Ukraine funding and disaster aid should be attached.
MacGuineas believes the “best approach” to quell some of the House Republicans’ lengthy demands would be to have a “clean” CR and then “address” other issues these issues separately.”
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“If you get into the habit where you can throw everything and the kitchen sink into any of this must-pass legislation, it complicates it,” she explained.
“And, too often, it leaves it vulnerable to the folks who are most willing to take the system hostage to get what they want instead of a more democratic process,” she warned.
The watchdog said the scramble could be “a huge significant sign” that the country’s budget process is “broke.”
“And as was mentioned in the debate last night by some folks, we never get any of this done on time. We have to rethink the way we actually budget in this country,” she stressed.
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FOX Business’ Eric Revell contributed to this report.