The House of Representatives returns to Washington, D.C., this week for what is expected to be a protracted fight over government spending that could result in a government shutdown when the current fiscal year ends on Sept. 30. Complicating the spending debate will be efforts by a number of House Republicans to begin an impeachment inquiry against President Joe Biden focused on any involvement he may have had with his son Hunter Biden’s business dealings while Biden was vice president. Opposition by some House members to Biden’s request for additional emergency funding for military assistance for Ukraine will also be a contentious issue in funding debates.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) would like to pass a short-term continuing resolution to allow congressional appropriations committees to come to agreement on funding levels, but members of the House Freedom Caucus have voiced opposition to any temporary funding extensions. Temporary shutdowns of some government operations have occurred on several occasions in the past, eventually leading to comprehensive spending legislation known as an “omnibus bill” that is passed at year end. But this year, fiscal conservatives have vowed to oppose any omnibus appropriations bill, which they criticize as allowing higher levels of spending than would otherwise result from negotiating individual appropriations bills with the Senate.