Federal Budget and Shutdown Risk

The Senate passed a short-term funding bill 90-6 to avert a government shutdown before the midterms, acting unusually early. The bill blocks Trump from shifting funds to border security and halts a rule giving political appointees control over grants. The federal budget deficit is $1.9 trillion, with interest payments surpassing defense spending for the first time. This structural fiscal challenge underpins all policy debates from taxes to entitlements. The early bipartisan passage is a smart political move to prevent chaos during campaign season.