From WNYC Studios. I'm Brian Lehrer. This is my daily politics podcast. It's Friday, September 20th.

While the presidential race dominates the political headlines, there's a drama unfolding in Congress

that at other times

might be getting much more attention than it is. The federal government's fiscal year ends in 10

days, and they can't agree on a new budget. People's lives would be affected beginning October 1st

if various government agencies have to shut down. The hold up for now is an insistence by House Republicans

on including a non-budget item, a provision to require proof of citizenship to register to vote.

This is even though non-citizens voting illegally is a minuscule problem, according to election

officials around the country. We'll talk about that and more now

with New Jersey Congresswoman Mikey Cheryl, including Donald Trump's new promise to reinstate

the full state and local tax deduction. Remember, it was his own tax bill as president that

severely limited the so-called salt deduction and heard a lot of New Jersey taxpayers, and including a bill in this discussion,

that Congresswoman Cheryl did get through the House to award a unique honor to Billy Jean King.

That happened yesterday.

Mikey Sherrill is the Democrat who represents New Jersey's 11th Congressional District,

which includes parts of Morris, Essex, and Passaic

counties in North Jersey, due west of Manhattan, including Montclair, Morristown, Parsipany,

all around there. She is also considered a potential leading candidate for governor next year.

After Governor Murphy's term limited, she told Axios and MSNBC last month that she is seriously considering

a run. Congresswoman Cheryl, always good to have you. Welcome back to WNYC. Well, thanks so much for

having me. I appreciate it. Let's start here. How would you explain to our listeners who haven't

gotten engaged in this story? What's going on with a budget?

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