First came the blizzard of bills designed to pass one chamber of Congress only to die a quick death in the other. Now, with the government partially shut down, lawmakers have started whipping up legislation intended to fail immediately to send a political point.

On Wednesday House Republicans are expected to vote on five small spending bills extending funding for slivers of the federal government. Three of those bills failed on the House floor Tuesday night when they were brought up under an expedited process chosen by GOP leaders to highlight House Democrats’ unwillingness to fund services for veterans and reopen national parks, among others.