Bitter divides over spending put Congress on a fast track to another shutdown showdown

Congress avoided a government shutdown before heading home for Thanksgiving, but partisan divisions on topline spending numbers, Republican in-fighting in the House and limited time to finish full-year spending bills means that another shutdown scenario is just around the corner.

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s two-step stopgap bill set Jan. 19 as the first target to get four spending bills onto President Biden’s desk. Those bills include spending legislation that funds the Department of Veterans Affairs, energy and water, transportation and agriculture.

House Democrats won’t vote for those GOP-authored bills, and...