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US Congress shuffles toward stopgap funding bill as deadline approaches

The U.S. Congress is currently grappling with the passage of a stopgap funding bill to avert a government shutdown as the deadline looms. With only a few days left before the current funding expires, both the House and Senate are under pressure to act. House Speaker Mike Johnson has proposed a two-step continuing resolution (CR) that would extend funding for some government agencies until January 19, 2024, and others until February 2, 2024, aiming to avoid the traditional omnibus spending bill. This proposal has met with mixed reactions; while some Republicans support the idea of staggered deadlines, others, including conservative factions, are pushing for deeper spending cuts and policy changes. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has expressed openness to a short-term CR but emphasized the need for bipartisan cooperation. Meanwhile, the Senate is preparing its own version of a CR, which might differ significantly from the House's plan, potentially leading to last-minute negotiations or even a brief shutdown if consensus isn't reached.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-us/politics/government/us-congress-shuffles-toward-stopgap-funding-bill-as-deadline-approaches/ar-AA1w2m9G ]