WASHINGTON DC — Five days away from a potential Government shutdown, and a decision on a spending plan is still up in the air.
Members in the House could vote as soon as tomorrow on a temporary funding plan that would buy more time to work on a final deal.
The plan’s success could come down to whether a handful of far-right Republicans will support or block the plan.
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Congress has until midnight on Friday to pass a spending plan. House Speaker Mike Johnson is pushing a two-part short-term spending measure.
The first part extends funding through Jan. 19, which includes money for the military, The VA, Transportation, Housing, and the Energy Department.
The second part would extend funding through Feb. 2 and include money for the rest of the government.
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However, the plan doesn’t include many deep spending cuts far-right Republicans want.
“We have $1.7 trillion deficit this year and where under any circumstances can they come to bring themselves to have an offset?” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina) said.
The Senate is showing more signs of progress, with several bipartisan spending proposals being passed.
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“Here’s what we can’t afford to do. That is shut the government down,” Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Georgia) said.
News Center 7′s Samantha Manning spoke with Senate Democrats who say a shutdown would disrupt the lives of millions of federal workers, and Americans who rely on critical federal services.
“Women infants and children would not have access to vital nutrition and our small businesses would not be able to access the kinds of loans they’ve already been approved for just because politicians are playing games. Come on that’s ridiculous,” Sen. Warnock said.
It’s worth noting that the last house speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted because a small group of far-right Republicans were angry he worked with democrats on a temporary spending deal, which may be a factor Speaker Mike Johnson will have to weigh in this situation.