Everything in Washington Could Grind to a Halt on April 28

At midnight on April 28, the federal government could shut down just as Congress loses the power to do the one thing it’s done this year, reverse Obama regulations.

It’s an increasingly well-known fact that the temporary appropriations measure — technically known as a continuing resolution, or CR — keeping the lights on for the federal government runs out at midnight on April 28, a few days after Congress returns from its two-week Easter recess. There’s a very real chance the government will shut down, at least temporarily, on that date thanks to a plethora of potential conflicts, ranging from Planned Parenthood to health care to the border wall to Trump budget cuts.

It’s largely a coincidence, but there is another thing highly significant about April 28. That’s when the power of Congress to reverse Obama administration regulations via the streamlined provisions of the Congressional Review Act expires. And as Alexi McCammond of Axios notes, the level of productive activity in GOP “trifecta” Washington will go down sharply:

Trump hasn’t been able to pass any major bills that he’s passionate about, like AHCA, nor has he introduced any major legislation. Using the CRA to pass resolutions into law has afforded the Trump administration numerous (record-setting) small victories, but after its looming deadline they will have to figure out another way.

If Republican can resolve the shutdown crisis by extending the CR, in other words, the absence of the CRA will accentuate the sound of legislative crickets for this administration and Congress.

Maybe Congress can go back on recess until somebody figures it all out.

Everything in Washington Could Grind to a Halt on April 28