The threat of a government shutdown looms as U.S. Congress struggles to pass the 2025 budget by the September 30 deadline. House Speaker Mike Johnson's attempt to secure a six-month budget extension has been hampered by a lack of bipartisan support, particularly due to the controversial SAVE Act, which mandates citizenship proof for federal voting. Democrats, led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have rejected any funding bill with 'poison pills' attached, indicating they would only support a clean three-month extension. The stakes are high as a shutdown would result in millions of federal employees facing unpaid leave and disrupted services just ahead of the presidential election. As political divisions deepen, the Biden administration has emphasized that non-citizen voting is already illegal, challenging the necessity of the SAVE Act. With both parties at an impasse, the coming weeks will be critical for avoiding a fiscal crisis.