Partisan politics: Partisan politics refers to the strong support for one's own political party, often leading to conflicts and difficulties in reaching bipartisan agreements.
Debt ceiling: The debt ceiling is a limit set by Congress on the amount of national debt that can be issued by the Treasury Department. When this limit is reached, it requires an increase through legislative action in order for the government to continue borrowing money.
Sequestration: Sequestration refers to automatic spending cuts triggered if Congress fails to reach an agreement on reducing the federal deficit. It involves across-the-board reductions in spending for various government programs.