SHUTDOWN SHOWDOWN: House Passes Funding Bill Deemed 'Dead On Arrival' In Senate

An already contentious debate over funding the government after September 30 intensified Thursday as Republicans amended their bill to be more amenable to GOP lawmakers and Democrats pledged to oppose it.

Without action by the start of the new fiscal year, the government will shut down on October 1.

House Republicans passed a continuing resolution early Friday morning on a mostly partly-line vote, though the bill drew immediate criticism from Senate Democrats over its spending cut offsets for new federal disaster aid.

“The bill the House will vote on tonight is not an honest effort at compromise," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, noting that the bill is dead on arrival in the Senate. "It fails to provide the relief that our fellow Americans need as they struggle to rebuild their lives in the wake of floods, wildfires and hurricanes, and it will be rejected by the Senate."

The House added $100 million in cuts to the federal program that made the loan to the now-bankrupt solar company, Solyndra, in order to win over enough GOP votes to pass over Democratic opposition. An earlier version fo the bill failed to pass on Wednesday, dealing a blow to tha Republican leadership.

The measure includes $3.65 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, less than the $6.9 requested by the Obama administration and demanded by Democrats.

Michael Steel, a spokesman for Speaker of the House John Boehner, called on the Senate to pass the bill in its current form, noting FEMA could run out of disaster relief money as soon as Monday.

“The Senate should pass this bill immediately, and the President should sign it, because any political games will delay FEMA money that suffering American families desperately need.”

Reid said that the Senate was willing to postpone its vacation to reach a compromise — a prospect House Majority Leader Eric Cantor ruled out early Friday morning — setting the stage for a high-stakes game of political chicken with a week until the deadline.

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GERMAN PARLIAMENT PASSES BAILOUT WITH MASSIVE MAJORITY

  x You have successfully emailed the post. Update: It's official. The German parliament has passed the expansion of the bailout fund with a massive majority 523 yes to 85 against.

Markets around the world are higher, but an early rally is starting to fade.

Original post: The big event of the morning: The German government votes on expanding the EFSF, the big bailout fund that will be crucial for rescuing Greece.

It's expected to pass easily, though the vote is controversial. The big question is whether or not the vote can be passed with Merkel's coalition alone.

Merkel's government has pushed hard for this.

It's set to begin in a matter of minutes.

German speakers can watch the action LIVE here.

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Here's What New York City Looks Like Right Now As Irene Passes Through

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Hurricane Irene is passing through New York City right now.

NY1 is reporting heavy rains around various parts of the city and high waters along the Hudson and Coney Island. 

I took a walk around Brooklyn Heights earlier and while there are a few small trees down, many people are out walking their dogs.  Over here it mostly it just feels like a heavy rainstorm except there are very few cars on the streets.

I snapped some pictures.

Here's what Manhattan looks like from the Brooklyn Heights Promendade.

And here is what Manhattan looked like last night around 5pm.

Meanwhile the East river is very high.  If you look closely you can see where it's risen past the barriers that separate it from parts of the Brooklyn Bridge park and Pier 6.

That's Governor's Island off to the left. In the distance you can sort of make out the Statue of Liberty

Parts of Brooklyn Bridge park have overflowed.

However, even a hurricane will not keep New Yorkers inside their (tiny) apartments.

Or from seeing to the needs of their dogs.

Now check out the flooding in Red Hook, Brooklyn >>>

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