At 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Wednesday, Oct. 1, the federal government will shut down unless Congress can pass a short-term funding measure beforehand — something that currently looks unlikely to happen.

On Sept. 19, the Republican-controlled U.S. House passed a continuing resolution that would fund the government through Nov. 21 at current spending levels, while putting some extra money to a few specific areas, like security for the executive and judicial branches, as well as for members of Congress.

But that same day, the bill failed in the Senate, as did a Democratic counter-offer, before that chamber left for the congressional recess during the Jewish high holidays.

For a brief moment ,it looked like the White House would get involved.

Democratic Leaders wrote to President Donald

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