The U.S. Congress on Wednesday has three days to avert a partial government shutdown, as disagreements between the two parties and within the fractious House Republican majority delay lawmakers in their duty of funding federal agencies.
The two chambers’ top Democrats and Republicans had emerged from what they described as an intense Tuesday meeting with President Joe Biden vowing to avert a shutdown, but without agreement on how to do so – whether by reaching a deal covering the fiscal year that began Oct. 1, or by passing a fourth short-term stopgap.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House of Representatives’ speaker, Republican Mike Johnson, have traded blame despite an agreement reached last month on $1.59 trillion in discretionary spending for the fiscal year.
“We believe that we can get to agreement on these issues and prevent a government shutdown. And that’s our first responsibility,” Johnson told reporters on Tuesday.
Hardliners within his thin Republican majority have sought spending cuts and policy changes, including some related to abortion and food aid, on the funding bills, which Democrats have balked at. Failure to reach an agreement will trigger a partial government shutdown beginning Saturday.
Read more at Reuters.com
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