Even if a “Grand Bargain” on the debt limit is reached before August 2nd, the next government shutdown fight is only a matter of weeks away. While the House has passed a fiscal year 2012 budget, and has even begun marking up and passing some appropriations bills, the Senate has not passed a budget for more than 800 days. But come September 30th, Congress must pass a new budget for the next year or the government will shutdown, as it almost did this spring.

The reality is that House Republicans already approved the current levels of federal spending when they voted for the fiscal year 2011 continuing resolution in March. Since they chose not to raise taxes in that CR, it is only fair that they raise the debt limit a requisite amount to cover the federal spending that they approved. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., is on board with this logic: “Through the end of September, Congress basically has an obligation to increase the debt ceiling to that level. … The principled thing to do is pass the debt limit to that level.”