Op-Ed: GOP Leaders Should Accept Responsibility For the Government Shutdown

Article 1 of the Constitution vests in Congress the sole authority to appropriate money. Each year, Congress and the President are required to pass 12 appropriations bills to fund the government for the next year by September 30. The current Republican-controlled House only requires a simple majority to pass a bill, yet not one appropriations bill has been agreed upon by both chambers. In fact, only three of the 12 appropriations bills have been passed out of the House.

Instead of focusing its energy on passing the 12 appropriations bills needed to fund the government, Congress has spent much...