Salt Lake City — Congresswoman Celeste Malloy told students at a Sept. 23 Hinckley Institute event that federal government funding is set to expire on Sept. 30 and that the outcome depends on negotiations in Congress.
Malloy described the appropriations process: the House had passed several appropriations bills and a continuing resolution but the Senate must secure 60 votes to advance many measures. "If we get 7 Senate Democrats to come to the table in the next week, then the government won't shut down," Malloy said, explaining that bipartisan Senate support is required to overcome procedural thresholds.
She said the House had passed 12 appropriations bills in committee and three on the floor, and that while the House can pass bills with a simple majority, the Senate's need for 60 votes makes it more difficult to finalize appropriations without bipartisan agreement. Malloy also explained that funding gaps can affect federal services including national parks and noted that how leaders choose to handle a shutdown can change the public impact.
Malloy urged audience members to follow the developments closely because the timeline was immediate: "Right now, we're in a position ... it is September 30, which ... is next week, and this is 1 of the top stories right now," she said. She described recent continuing-resolution maneuvers in the House and a failed Senate vote as reasons the outcome remained uncertain.
The forum combined audience questions about local and national policy with Malloy's descriptions of congressional procedure. No formal legislative action or votes took place during the event.