Lawmakers have until Friday to pass a fix for the federal budget, otherwise a partial government shutdown will be triggered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For now, it appears congressional leaders are looking to punt the issue for two more weeks, passing a 14-day continuing resolution to give them time to try and find a longer compromise deal. But even that plan is uncertain, with a growing number of Republicans and Democrats complaining that the short-term funding fixes are hurting overall federal operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The looming shutdown threat comes as Republican leaders work on the next step in their chambers\u2019 respective tax reform plans, moves that have only furthered the divide between the parties on fiscal issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As the debate continues, Pentagon officials have warned that numerous programs have been stopped or stalled because of the budget uncertainty, and Veterans Affairs officials are warning that they need a billion-dollar fix to the department\u2019s Choice program to ensure thousands of veterans\u2019 medical care won\u2019t be disrupted in January.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTuesday, Dec. 5<\/strong> Defense and veterans hearings on Capitol Hill for the week of Dec. 4.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":26334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":19,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[160,36,19],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3424],"class_list":["post-24566","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-newsletters","category-pentagon"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"FGTM5TNAMZAR7JUUW6IJNDZ7PU","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2017\/12\/04\/this-week-in-congress-decembers-first-shutdown-deadline\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"\n
\n
\nSenate Foreign Relations \u2014 2:30 p.m. \u2014 Dirksen 419
\nInternational accords<\/i>
\nThe committee will hear from outside analysts and shared presidential and congressional authority over international accords.
\n
\nWednesday, Dec. 6<\/strong>
\n
\nHouse Foreign Affairs \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2172
\nHuman rights<\/i>
\nThe subcommittee on Africa will hear from outside experts on human rights and terrorism.
\n\nHouse Foreign Affairs \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2200
\nEuropean Union<\/i>
\nOutside experts will update the committee on negotiations for Britain to leave the European Union.
\n
\nHouse Foreign Affairs \u2014 2 p.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2172
\nTibet<\/i>
\nActor Richard Gere and other outside analysts will testify before the committee on human rights concerns in Tibet.
\n
\nSenate Foreign Relations \u2014 2:30 p.m. \u2014 Dirksen 419
\nTerrorism<\/i>
\nState Department officials will testify before the committee on terrorist threats in Africa.
\n
\nThursday, Dec. 7<\/strong>
\n
\nHouse Foreign Affairs \u2014 9:30 a.m. \u2014 Rayburn 2172
\nTerrorism<\/i>
\nDeputy Secretary of State John Sullivan will testify before the committee on terrorism in Africa.
\n
\nHouse Veterans\u2019 Affairs \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Cannon 334
\nVA vendors<\/i>
\nThe committee will examine problems with the VA\u2019s medical surgery prime vendor program.
\n
\nSenate Armed Services \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Dirksen G50
\nDefense acquisition<\/i>
\nArmy Secretary Mark Esper, Navy Secretary Richard Spencer, Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson and Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Ellen Lord will testify before the committee on defense acquisition reform.
\n
\nHouse Homeland Security \u2014 10 a.m. \u2014 Visitors Center H210
\nWMDs<\/i>
\nThe committee will hear from outside experts on efforts to counter weapons of mass destruction.
\n
\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"