The once-looming government shutdown raised concerns among lawmakers after President Joe Biden was virtually absent from public appearances, with some questioning his engagement in the process. Some lawmakers believed that Biden should take a more active role in the negotiations, which came to a close late Friday, Dec. 20, just hours before the government was set to shut down. Biden’s strategy appeared to be focused on letting Congress handle the situation. According to British media outlet The Independent, Biden spent the first two days of the three-day funding showdown at his Delaware home, where he marked the anniversary of his first wife and daughter’s death.