Three weeks before the government runs out of money, Congress has two options: a three-month extension of current spending favored by most lawmakers or a six-month fix pushed by a group of House conservatives, says CQ Roll Call’s Budget and Economics editor Jane Norman. Each option has political advantages and pitfalls, which CQ Roll Call’s senior editor David Hawkings spells out. On another front, soon after lawmakers passed a bill to deal with the epidemic of opioid abuse, they’re confronted with the dangerous presence of lab-made synthetic drugs like fentanyl, blamed for hundreds of overdoses, including that of music icon Prince.

Show Notes:

• What Is a Continuing Resolution?
• David Hawkings’ Whiteboard: Continuing Resolutions 
• House Heading Toward December CR With Possible Add-Ons 

One December strategy apparently floated in GOP meeting: pass combo of security bills, punt domestic bills with full-year CR

— Ryan McCrimmon (@RyanMcCrimmon) September 9, 2016

Overwhelming sense coming out of House GOP meeting was short-term CR is the way forward. Many Rs cited defense as top reason for short bill

— Ryan McCrimmon (@RyanMcCrimmon) September 9, 2016