Lacking a plan to avert the crisis—publicly, at least—White House officials are telling federal agencies to prepare for a government shutdown. Both parties have said it won't come to that, but Congress remains on that course. Government funding runs out on Sept. 30, the Washington Post reports, and a warning usually goes out seven days before a potential shutdown. The House has passed a package that also would suspend the debt ceiling and fund disaster and refugee aid, but Senate Republicans say they won't vote for anything that raises the debt ceiling. Other developments Thursday involved: