US Government again at the edge of the Shutdown in 2024

Key Points

• Congress faces a looming funding deadline with no bipartisan spending deal in sight.
• High-level disagreements persist, primarily driven by policy issues, exacerbating tensions within Congress.
• Senate Majority Leader Schumer and House Speaker Johnson engage in blame games as the risk of a shutdown grows.

There is still no clear path to avert a partial government shutdown at the end of the week, with just four days until Congress runs into a key funding deadline. Lawmakers had hoped to release the text of a bipartisan spending deal Sunday evening, but the bill has yet to be unveiled. High-level disagreements over policy issues remain as House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, is under immense pressure from his right flank to fight for conservative wins.

As the clock ticks down to the deadline, Senate Democrats expressed anger and frustration Monday at the growing risk of a shutdown as many criticized House Republicans over the impasse. “What is wrong with these people? This is the central thing Congress is supposed to do,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts told CNN’s Manu Raju. “Right now, the Republicans can’t seem to get themselves organized just to sign off on the basic work they’re supposed to do. This is just ridiculous.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday warned that a partial shutdown would be “harmful to the country,” and argued that it is “entirely avoidable” if the House and the Senate can work together. Separately, McConnell told reporters at the Capitol, “We’re not gonna allow the government to shut down.”

Congress is confronting a pair of shutdown deadlines – on March 1 and March 8 – after lawmakers passed a short-term funding bill in January. President Joe Biden will convene the top four congressional leaders Tuesday as the White House ratchets up pressure on lawmakers to pass additional funding to Ukraine and ahead of the partial government shutdown deadline.

Senators return to Washington, DC, on Monday evening, but the House won’t be back until Wednesday, leaving little time ahead of the fast-approaching Friday deadline.

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