Will Congress Avoid a Government Shutdown This Week?

Congress is negotiating an omnibus funding bill ahead of a Friday deadline. Can lawmakers overcome partisanship and avoid a government shutdown?

Latest Developments: Federal agencies began preparing for a potential shutdown on Monday. The same day, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said lawmakers ”should be prepared to take quick action” on a bill to extend the shutdown deadline by one week. The measure would give Congress more time to iron out the details of a full omnibus government funding bill, which Schumer said would come “before the holidays.” Meanwhile, lawmakers have reportedly decided not to consider raising the debt ceiling — which the federal government is expected to hit sometime in 2023. 

Key Disagreements: Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) told NBC News (Lean Left bias) that while lawmakers “haven’t reached an agreement,” the “circumstances are there” and they “could reach one.” Shelby also said the major disagreements amounted to about $26 billion of the expected $1.5 trillion bill, focused on domestic discretionary spending. While Democrats reportedly argue that this spending is fair game, Republicans insist that other Democrat-backed spending bills have already allocated enough, or too much, to domestic programs. There appears to be more agreement on defense spending, which has already passed in the House. 

How the Media Covered It: Coverage was common across the spectrum, often featuring language like “looming.” Some analysis coverage in left-rated outlets accused Republicans of trying to “sabotage” or “torpedo” negotiations by trying to block some domestic spending.