Congressional lawmakers just gave a "stark" indication they believe the federal government is careening toward a shutdown, according to a new report.
Axios reported Friday evening that several congressional trips that were scheduled for next week have since been canceled due to the looming shutdown at midnight Sept. 30. Science, Space and Technology Committee members planned to visit New Mexico's Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories, two sources told the outlet.
"Senior Democratic and Republican sources stressed that these trips are government-funded — making it a financial and logistical nightmare to try to go forward with them during a shutdown," the report said.
Notably, a Republican leadership source told the outlet the decisions were made by individual members, not by leadership. Additionally, not all have been canceled.
Congress faces a stalemate over a short-term funding bill or a full appropriation for the fiscal year before the deadline. While Republicans control the House, Senate, and White House, they need at least seven Senate Democrats to join them in passing the funding due to Senate rules.
Democrats have insisted that any such deal restore steep health care spending cuts from the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" and include Affordable Care Act subsidies. President Donald Trump canceled a planned meeting with Democratic leaders to negotiate and has signaled an unwillingness to compromise.
