Fiscal Showdown
Following are highlights of CQ News coverage regarding the multiple fiscal issues confronting lawmakers in fall 2013: funding the government in fiscal 2014, dealing with the debt limit and possibly revisiting the sequester. Coverage of work over the summer on fiscal 2014 appropriations bills can be found here . For specialty coverage on budgetary matters, CQ also offers Budget Tracker .
The Lead
A selection of CQ's top stories recapping the fiscal showdown.
CQ Roll Call news stories
The Big Picture
Partisan battles are likely this fall over several fiscal issues, including the nation's debt ceiling and spending for fiscal 2014. Below are several stories that aim to place in context the policy and politics of the fights in Congress.
CQ Roll Call news stories
CQ Weekly: Cardinals With Clipped Wings Oct. 21 CQ Weekly: Battle Over, but ‘War’ Continues Oct. 21 CQ Weekly: Fiscal Crisis Watch, Week 3: Republicans’ Diminishing Demands Oct. 21 CQ Weekly: Fiscal Crisis Watch, Week 3: The Ripple Effects Oct. 21 An Eye for an ‘Aye’ Oct. 21 Budget Reconciliation Provides Political, Negotiating Test for Conferees Oct. 17 Budget Conferees Offer Strong Expertise, Unclear Prospects on Compromise Oct. 17 Mikulski Admits Appropriations May Have to Settle for Year-Long CR, Not Omnibus Oct. 17 Defense Spending Front and Center in Budget Conference Oct. 17 Obama Wants Immigration, Farm, Budget Deals Oct. 17 Ryan Plans to Seek Spending Cuts as Chairman of Budget Conference Oct. 16 Budget Conferees Prepare to Confront Deep Rift on Spending Levels Oct. 16 Boehner, GOP Leaders Urge House Members to Pass Senate Deal Oct. 16 Farm Bill Savings Could Help Solve Budget Crisis, Stabenow Says Oct. 16 House Republicans Postpone Action on Modified Fiscal Plan Oct. 15 Budget Conference Would Be No Slam Dunk Oct. 15 Corker, Heitkamp See Move on Housing Overhaul After Fiscal Crisis Oct. 15 Senate Fiscal Deal's Next Hurdle May be Congressional Procedure Oct. 14 Conservatives Raise Red Flags About Fiscal Deal as They Await Final Details Oct. 14 CQ Weekly: Memory Clash on Shutdowns Oct. 14 House Republicans Defer to Senate After Obama Rejects Their Plan Oct. 12 House Republicans Want to Shift Quickly to Ambitious Goals in Budget Talks Oct. 11 Senate Republicans Work on Fiscal Plan to End Shutdown, Extend Debt Limit Oct. 11 Obama, Democrats Appear Encouraged By Collins Compromise Plan Oct. 11 Senate GOP Developing Proposal Based on Collins Plan to Resolve Fiscal Standoff Oct. 10 Some Lawmakers See Tax Overhaul As 'Spark' Toward Fiscal Compromise Oct. 8 CQ Weekly: Fiscal Crisis Watch, Week 1: Timeline Oct. 7 CQ Weekly: GOP Looks Beyond Shutdown Oct. 7 Consensus Grows Across Party Lines That CR, Debt Limit Will Converge Oct. 5 Budget-Focused Republicans See Sequester, Debt Limit Drawing Democrats to Fiscal Deal Oct. 2 Lines Already Being Drawn for Next Battles Over Spending, Debt Limit Oct. 1 CQ Weekly: Once More Unto the Brink Sept. 30 Deficit Reduction is on the Sidelines in Debates Over Spending Bill Sept. 30 Divided House GOP Sorting Out Its Fiscal Options Sept. 27 House Leaders to Move Stopgap Plan First, Weigh Strategy on Debt Limit Sept. 27 CQ Weekly: House CR Would Gut Health Care Law Sept. 23 CQ Weekly: Highlights of the House’s Fiscal 2014 Continuing Resolution Sept. 23 CQ Weekly: The High Price of ‘Defunding’ Sept. 23 In Shutdown Showdown, Choices Are All Boehner's Sept. 19 CQ Weekly: Lawmakers Seek Redemption, but No Quick Fix Sept. 9 CQ Weekly: Multiple Fiscal Deadlines Confront Congress Sept. 9 CQ Weekly: Defense Spending Cuts, Continued Sept. 9 Republicans Divided Over Using Shutdown to Defund Health Care Law July 30
Funding the Government
Fiscal 2013 ended Sept. 30, and with lawmakers unable to clear a stopgap funding bill for President Barack Obama to sign, the federal government largely shut down on Oct. 1.
CQ Roll Call news stories
CQ Weekly: As It Backs Away From Fiscal Crisis, Congress Names Budget Conferees Oct. 21 CQ Weekly: GOP Goal: Tighten Reins On Treasury Tactics Oct. 21 Fiscal Deal Provides Slight Increase in Judiciary Funding Oct. 17 Debt, Spending Bill Would Boost Emergency Aid to Colorado Oct. 16 American Indian Health, Education Funding Backed by House Oct. 14 House Agriculture Chairman Concerned About Farm Bill Wrapped Into Fiscal Deal Oct. 12 House Moves Toward Farm Bill Talks with Senate, But With Complications Oct. 11 NEA Ads Target Four House Republicans To Sway Their Support for Budget Deal Oct. 11 House GOP Undecided on Key Details of Stopgap Funding Bill Oct. 11 Shutdown Solution Now Part of House GOP Budget Discussions Oct. 11 House GOP Blasts Pentagon for Narrow Interpretation of Pay Law Oct. 10 Bill to Fund Certain DHS Functions Passes Oct. 10 President Signs Military Death Benefit Measure Oct. 10 Pentagon Announces Death Benefit Workaround Oct. 9 House Passes Measure to Fund Military Death, Funeral Benefits Oct. 9 FAA Spending Measure Passed in House Oct. 9 Head Start Spending Measure Passed in House Oct. 8 House Passes Short-Term Measures to Fund FDA Oct. 7 GOP Moderates Unlikely to Support House Democratic Discharge Effort on CR Oct. 7 CQ Weekly: Congress Clears Military Pay Bill Prior to Government Shutdown Oct. 7 Boehner Disputes Democratic Claims of House Majority for Clean Continuing Resolution Oct. 6 House Passes Bill to Provide Back Pay to Federal Workers Oct. 5 House Backs Measure to Affirm Military Chaplains' Right to Minister Oct. 5 Latest Piecemeal Spending Bill Would Reopen Highway Safety Agency Oct. 4 House Adopts Short-Term FEMA Funding Oct. 4 Once the Deciders on Spending, Appropriators Now Follow the Leaders Oct. 4 Nutrition Program Funding Backed by House Oct. 4 House Sets Aside New Appropriations, Uses 2013 Plans in Targeted Spending Bills Oct. 4 Spy Agency Funding Measure Headed to House Floor Oct. 3 Bipartisan House Group Proposes Six-Month CR and Repeal of Medical Device Tax Oct. 3 House Backs Bills on Military Pay, Veterans Benefits Oct. 3 Senate Democrats Rebuff 'Mini CR' Measures Oct. 3 House Passes NIH Stopgap Funding Bill Oct. 2 House Backs Short-term Funding for D.C., National Parks Oct. 2 Senate Democrats Hold Back Their Shutdown-Related Bills Oct. 2 House Attempt to Selectively Open Some Agencies Falls Short Oct. 1 GOP Appropriator Wolf Says He Wants 'Clean' Stopgap Bill on Floor Oct. 1 House Requests Conference on CR as Shutdown Begins Sept. 30 Reid Insists House Pass 'Clean' CR After Senate Rejects Proposals Sept. 30 Standoff Continues as Fiscal 2014 Nears Sept. 29 Shutdown More Likely as House Sends Amended CR to Senate Sept. 29 Reid Calls New House CR Plan 'Pointless'; No Plans to Recall Senate Sunday Sept. 28 Timing of Continuing Resolution Offers No Respite From Controversies Sept. 28 House Prepares to Bat CR Back to Senate Sept. 28 hutdown Will Result if House Changes Senate-Passed CR, Says Reid Sept. 27 Obama Slams 'Extremists' Threatening Government Shutdown Sept. 27 Senate Sends Back Amended CR to House Sept. 27 Senate CR Includes Few 'Anomalies' After Deleting Controversial Provisions Sept. 26 Senate to Hold Final Votes on House CR Friday Afternoon Sept. 26 Senate Moves Up Final Vote on House CR by a Day as Fiscal Year Nears End Sept. 25 House Republicans Would Kick CR Back to Senate, Consider One-Week Plan Sept. 25 Stopgap Spending Measure Clears Procedural Hurdle Sept. 25 Stopgap Plan Will Provide No Resolution to Partisan Spending Divide Sept. 24 Senate Democrats Plan to Shorten CR, Seek to Sidetrack Sequester Sept. 24 Senate Faces First Procedural Vote on House Stopgap Bill Sept. 24 McConnell, Cornyn to Vote for Cloture on House CR; Reid Files Motion Sept. 23 Senate Democrats Ready to Keep House-Set Level for CR Sept. 23 Appropriators, Chairmen Considered Likely Votes for CR Compromise Sept. 20 Senate Democrats Vow to Replace 'Irresponsible and Futile' House Plan Sept. 20 Stopgap Spending Measure Sent to Senate Sept. 20 Reid Considers Procedural Options While Awaiting House CR Sept. 19 House Conservatives Say GOP United Behind Politically Aggressive CR Sept. 18 House Leaders Consider Moving Stopgap Bill to Defund Health Law Sept. 17 Coburn, Flake Urge Opposition to House CR Spending Level Sept. 12 Republicans, Democrats Seek Alternatives to Sidetracked Stopgap Plan Sept. 12 House GOP Divisions Could Result in Shutdown, Say Senate Democrats Sept. 12 House Delays CR Until Next Week Amid Conservative Concerns Sept. 11 House Releases Stopgap Plan to Extend Federal Funding to Dec. 15 Sept. 10 Senate Democrats Say GOP Infighting Holding Up Action on CR Sept. 10 House Republicans Scramble to Avoid October Government Shutdown Sept. 10
Impact of the Shutdown
Many lawmakers were not around for the last government shutdowns, which occurred in 1995 and 1996; the effects have become clear as the closures commenced.
CQ Roll Call news stories
Business Fears Lasting Impact of Shutdown, Crisis Budgeting Oct. 17 Trucking Industry Begins to Feel Impact of Shutdown Oct. 16 Worries of Economic Impact of Standoff Spread Oct. 14 CQ Weekly: Treasury Insecurities Oct. 14 Several Senators Seek Stopgap Fiscal Plan Through Holiday Shopping Season Oct. 13 Market Impact Concerns Grow as Fiscal Deal Remains Elusive Oct. 13 NTSB Chief Says Shutdown Hinders Probes of Transportation Accidents Oct. 11 Many Veterans Face Loss of Education Benefits Under Showdown Oct. 11 Shutdown Impact Reflected in Justice Department Lawyers' Requests for Delays Oct. 9 Corps to Keep Locks Open During Shutdown, Easing Shippers' Concerns Oct. 9 Shinseki Opposes Mini-CR, Saying Broader Shutdown Hurts Vets Oct. 9 Shutdown Stalls Highway Projects, Aircraft Inspections Oct. 8 Concerns Grow in Housing Industry Over Impact of Lengthy Shutdown Oct. 7 Shutdown's Impact on FEMA Overstated Oct. 7 Small Business Wary Over Shutdown Impact, Consumer Confidence Dives Oct. 4 Lawmakers Battle Over Threats to Public Health From Government Shutdown Oct. 4 Lawmakers Seek to Ensure Back Pay for Furloughed Federal Workers Oct. 2 Advocates Predict WIC Funds Will Soon Dwindle Oct. 2 Generals Decry Shutdown's Effects on Pentagon Civilians Oct. 2 Amtrak Trains Are Running Despite Government Shutdown -- for Now Oct. 2 Spy Chief: Shutdown Is 'Dreamland' For Foreign Intelligence Services Oct. 2 Economy Absorbs Shutdown as Lawmakers Dig in Over Fiscal Impasse Oct. 2 Justice Workers Vent Frustration Over Shutdown Oct. 1 Government Shuttered as House, Senate Remain At Loggerheads Oct. 1 Shutdown May Cost Transit Agencies Hundreds of Millions Oct. 1 President Signs Military Pay Bill Oct. 1 OMB Tells Federal Agencies to Implement Shutdown Plans Oct. 1 Governors Warn of Economic Harm From Federal Shutdown Sept. 30 Markets Start to Exhibit Fear Over Shutdown Sept. 30 Shutdown Would Scale Back Many Banking, Securities Regulatory Offices Sept. 30 State Department Largely Unscathed by Short-Term Shutdown Sept. 30 Boxer Calls for Suspension of Lawmaker Pay in Shutdown Sept. 30 House Backs Bill to Pay Troops During a Shutdown Sept. 29 'We're Closed' Signs Among USDA Contingency Plans in a Government Shutdown Sept. 28 OMB, Pentagon, Other Agencies Release Shutdown Contingency Plans Sept. 27 Shutdown Would Bring Education Department Furloughs But Little Impact on Most Schools Sept. 26 Some Senators Seek Flexibility on Shutdown Pay, Benefits Payments Sept. 25 OMB Directs Agencies to Prepare For a Possible Government Shutdown Sept. 18
The Health Care Connection
Many conservatives are pushing to attach legislation to the debt and spending measure that would block or delay funding for the 2010 health care overhaul. Significant parts of that law are set to take effect in October of this year and in January 2014.
CQ Roll Call news stories
Addressing the Debt Limit
The Treasury Department estimates that by as early as mid-October, it will need to raise the federal government's borrowing limit. If Congress does not raise the $16.7 trillion debt ceiling in time, default is risked and it could force at least a partial government shutdown.
CQ Roll Call news stories
Ratings Agencies, Wall Street Send Stronger Warnings to Washington Oct. 15 Echoes of TARP in Fiscal Fight, but Ties Have Soured Oct. 14 Reid, McConnell Talks Focus on Extending CR, Debt Ceiling to Early 2014 Oct. 14 Lew Dismisses Payment Prioritization, Says Borrowing Costs Rising Oct. 10 Senate Republicans Wary of House GOP Short-Term Debt Limit Proposal Oct. 10 Business Has Tepid Response to Short-Term Truce on Debt Ceiling Oct. 10 House Debt Limit Plan Would Put Tight Constraints on Treasury Oct. 10 Partisan in its Details, Ryan Plan May Set Useful Negotiating Structure Oct. 10 Ryan Proposes Six-Week Debt Limit Increase With Cuts, Promise of Tax, Entitlement Changes Oct. 9 Reid, Baucus to Propose 'Clean' Increase in Debt Ceiling Oct. 8 Will a Sidecar Help Avert Debt Limit Disaster? Oct. 7 Independent Analysts Say Treasury Cash to Run Out by Oct. 31 Oct. 7 Senate Democrats to Push 'Clean' Debt Limit Increase This Week Oct. 7 Cornyn, Boehner Link CR, Debt Limit Deals to Fiscal Issues Oct. 6 Boehner Denies He Will 'Roll Over' on Debt Limit Increase Oct. 4 Obama Warns Social Security Checks Will Be Delayed Absent Debt Limit Hike Oct. 3 Treasury Says Debt Payment Default May Trigger Recession Rivaling 2008 Crisis Oct. 3 Ryan Crafting Menu of Demands for Debt Limit Increase Oct. 2 Lew Tells Congress Extraordinary Debt Measures Running Out Oct. 1 CQ Weekly: Other, Heavier Shoe About to Drop? Sept. 30 House GOP Leadership's Debt Limit Proposal Stalls as Some Conservatives Balk Sept. 26 House Debt Limit Plan Will Focus on Growth, Sidestep Spending Cuts Sept. 26 GOP Leaders Prepare Jumpstart for Tax Overhaul in Debt Limit Bill Sept. 26 Lew Tells Congress Treasury Will Hit Debt Ceiling by Oct. 17 Sept. 25 Senate Democrats Moving Cautiously on Debt Limit Strategy Sept. 24 House GOP Plan Would Remove Debt Ceiling Beyond 2014 Elections Sept. 20 House GOP Would Add Tax Overhaul Directions to Debt Limit Plan Sept. 19 House Debt Limit Plan May Revive Earlier Bills, Obama Proposals Sept. 19 Latest Debt Bill Would Seek to Tie Nation's Borrowing Authority to Economy Sept. 17 Lew Insists No Negotiating on Debt Ceiling as Deadline Nears Sept. 17 CQ Weekly: A Creative Financing Solution in the Debt Limit Debate Sept. 16 Support Building For Linking Congressional Pay to Raising Debt Limit Sept. 13 Republicans Press to Include Debt Limit Talks in Fiscal Negotiations Sept. 12 GOP Leaders Look to Debt Limit for Leverage on Health Care Law Sept. 11 BPC Says Oct. 18 Is Earliest 'X Date' for Need to Raise Debt Limit Sept. 10 Congressional Leaders Consider Again Suspending Debt Limit Sept. 6 As Hill Deals With Spending, Tougher Fight Lurks on Debt Sept. 29 House May Time Debt Limit Vote to Smooth Path for Stopgap Bill Sept. 23
Revisiting the Sequester
A 2011 deal to raise the debt limit resulted in automatic, across-the-board spending cuts, known as the sequester, that took effect in the spring. Lawmakers from both parties have pushed for eliminating all or some of those cuts, which will take place over the next decade. So far they have yet to come up with a plan that could clear Congress. For all stories involving the sequester since July 2011, click here.
CQ Roll Call news stories
Lobbying and Influence
Those outside the walls of the Legislative and Executive branches plan to have a major say in any ultimate resolution to the ongoing fiscal issues.
CQ Roll Call news stories
Negotiations and Dealmaking
The president has said he will not negotiate on the debt limit, but with so many fiscal issues in play this fall, a "grand bargain" could come into play.
CQ Roll Call news stories
Background Information
For reference, here is information on the 2011 debate over the debt limit.
CQ Roll Call news stories