Money getting funny in Washington D.C., and this could mean a government shutdown.
If Congress cannot pass a budget before the start of the new fiscal year on Oct. 1, federal agencies will have to cease all non-essential functions and non-essential federal employees will be told not to report to work.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is optimistic that a budget will be passed by September 30.
“We’re gonna get this done,” he told reporters on Capitol Hill. “Nobody wins in a government shutdown
A shutdown would mean Florida’s economy taking a hit, as the tourism and agriculture industries notoriously suffer when federal employees can no longer go to work.
Residents of Washington D.C. are eager to see some changes being made to how the government allocates federal spending.
“I think the government should focus on stuff they promised…such as student debt forgiveness,” Etsub Wrku, an economics major at Howard University.
The White House says Congress should move forward with the bipartisan agreement that was voted on and approved earlier this year.
“A deal is a deal,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a press conference. “They should keep their word and they should keep the government open.”
In the meantime, the country is counting down the days until the possibility of the government shutting its doors becomes a reality.