Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said that the Department of Defense is preparing for the possibility of a government shutdown by the end of the month as Congress works to avert it. “We hope that Congress will prevent a costly shutdown,” said Pentagon spokesman John Kirby on Sept. 24 in a news conference. “The administration’s efforts remain focused on preventing a shutdown and a catastrophic default. In the meantime, OMB is preparing for any contingency as is consistent with long-standing practice across multiple administrations.” The White House confirmed that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) began issuing notices to various federal agencies about the possibility of a shutdown. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said on Sunday that she doesn’t believe there will be a government shutdown. “Nobody wants to see a shutdown,” added Kirby, without elaborating on what may happen. “And we obviously will take seriously, as we always do, …