Split in U.S. House GOP raises potential for government shutdown this fall

Members of Congress jetted off for the August recess without a plan in place to avoid a partial government shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1 — and the lawmakers who write spending bills acknowledge that it’s a real possibility, given deep divisions. The stalemate stems from a split among House Republicans about how much the government should spend and whether the bills should be filled with far-right policy objectives.