The United States bumped up against its borrowing limit Sunday, forcing the Treasury Department to employ “extraordinary measures” to make sure the government keeps paying its bills.

After a brief hiatus, the nation’s debt limit has returned as a major hurdle for Washington to overcome, and one that will play a central role in fiscal fights heading into the fall.

Congress agreed to suspend the nation’s $16.4 trillion borrowing limit the last time they approached it, at the beginning of the year. But that suspension expired May 19.

The latest numbers from the Treasury Department indicate that the overall debt of the United States swelled by about $300 billion during the period of the suspension, and now totals roughly $16.7 trillion.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-24306933

Here we go again....
When will the masses finally get wise to this?

Agencies have begun making contingency plans ahead of the 1 October deadline to pass a new funding resolution.

The Senate has passed a bill to fund the government until 15 November.

It appears investors (CDS markets, VIX, T-Bills anxiety) were on to something as each side in the looming government shutdown debate seems mired in their own belief that the other has more to lose. House Republicans are aiming to hold a vote today on a bill to extend government funding through December 15th and ensuring the military gets paid on any shutdown, but...

*HOUSE PLAN WOULD DELAY OBAMACARE ONE YEAR, LAWMAKER SAYS
And as the WSJ reports, Harry Reid has already stated that "we are going to accept nothing as it related to Obamacare," before adjourning the Senate until Monday afternoon (narrowing the gap for a shutdown-avoidance vote). The shutdown-blame-game has begun as it seems the ball is back in the Senate's court...

*HOUSE PROPOSAL WOULD FUND GOVERNMENT THROUGH DEC. 15
*HOUSE PLAN WOULD DELAY OBAMACARE ONE YEAR, LAWMAKER SAYS
*BOEHNER SAYS WILL BE `UP TO THE SENATE' TO AVOID SHUTDOWN
Via WSJ,

The strategy keeps House Republicans on a collision course with Senate Democrats. "We are going to accept nothing as it relates to Obamacare,'' Mr. Reid said after the Senate approved its spending plan.

...

Senate Majority Leader Mr. Reid on Friday added to the pressure on the House by adjourning the Senate until Monday afternoon, narrowing the window of time for any last-minute legislative volleys between the chambers.

...

"The president is now demanding that we increase the debt limit without engaging in any kind of bipartisan discussions about addressing our spending problem,'' said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R., Wash.), who gave the address on behalf of Republicans. "He wants to take the easy way out - exactly the kind of foolishness that got us here in the first place."

...

If the House acts today and sends the measure to the Senate, fresh pressure will fall on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) to call the Senate back in session quickly. Mr. Reid said Friday that the Senate would accept no changes or amendments to the funding bill it approved on Friday. He scheduled the Senate to return Monday afternoon, hard upon the Monday midnight deadline for Congress to come to agreement on a funding plan.

...

The standoff brings the federal government to the brink of a shutdown with little obvious room for resolution. Unlike in previous showdowns, there have been no major negotiations among congressional leaders or with the White House.

...

Mr. Boehner, said: "The House will take action that reflects the fundamental fact that Americans don't want a government shutdown, and they don't want the train wreck that is Obamacare.''

If no agreement is reached by midnight Monday, federal agencies will have to stop providing many services and furlough many employees. Services and agency functions deemed essential would continue.

If House lawmakers alter the Senate's spending bill, the measure will return to the Senate, where legislation can take days to navigate over procedural hurdles.