Barack Obama

A partial shutdown will occur Oct. 1 unless lawmakers provide money to keep the federal government functioning. A few weeks later, Congress likely will need to vote to raise the debt ceiling so that the government can borrow money to meet its existing financial commitments.

Obama's meeting with Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Nancy Pelosi occurs as the Senate's top Republican, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, is promising that there will be no government shutdown. 

It will be the first formal meeting between the two leaders in months.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest says the two leaders will discuss implementation of the Iran nuclear deal and other regional issues, as well as efforts to counter the Islamic State's activities in the region.

It will be the first formal meeting between the two leaders in months.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest says the two leaders will discuss implementation of the Iran nuclear deal and other regional issues, as well as efforts to counter the Islamic State's activities in the region.

The extraordinary gesture on Sept. 22 is just the beginning of the pomp and protocol that Washington will put on display to welcome the popular leader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics and the head of Vatican City on his first U.S. visit.

The next day, Francis will be just the third pope to visit the White House, being greeted as most heads of state are, with his car pulling slowly up the South Lawn's driveway to the spot where a red carpet will be rolled out and Obama and his wife, Michelle, will be waiting.

Obama met with troops at Fort Meade in Maryland on Friday and took questions through social media from those stationed overseas.

Spokesman Josh Earnest says he anticipates a White House meeting in early November. It would be the first formal meeting between the two leaders in months.

Obama pointedly refused to see Netanyahu in March when the Israeli leader appeared before a joint meeting of Congress and harshly criticized a U.S.-negotiated nuclear deal with Iran, Israel's enemy. Lawmakers had arranged Netanyahu's appearance without White House input.

Instead, President Barack Obama, White House staff and the sizable State Department contingent that trek to Manhattan every September for the annual U.N. General Assembly will work and stay at the New York Palace Hotel. The AP first reported the impending move in June but it wasn't formally announced until Friday, a day after the final contract was signed with the Palace.

A disapproval resolution for the agreement fell two votes short of the 60 needed to move forward as Democratic and independent senators banded together against it. Although House Republicans continued to pursue eleventh-hour strategies to derail the international accord, the outcome in the Senate guaranteed that the disapproval legislation would not reach Obama's desk.

McCain, a Republican, stood next to an enlarged, close-up photo of Aylan Kurdi, who drowned along with his 5-year-old brother and mother when their small rubber boat capsized as it headed for Greece. 

McCain said the photo has "opened the world's eye to this devastating crisis."

McCain said it should haunt Americans that "the United States will continue to do nothing meaningful" about conflicts like that in Syria that have led to a surge in refugees.

The White House says the Obamas will make the rare trip to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, just outside Washington, on Sept. 22 to formally welcome Francis on his first-ever U.S. visit.

The pontiff is scheduled to arrive in Washington after stops in Cuba.

In the U.S., Francis will meet privately with Obama, becoming just the third pope to ever visit the White House.

On Sept. 24, he heads to the Capitol to become the first pontiff to address a joint meeting of Congress.