Days from shutdown, Congress tries for deal

Days before a possible partial government shutdown, negotiators in Congress were working furiously Wednesday to finish up a federal spending plan as Washington joined Ukraine and other American allies around the world in watching and waiting for House Speaker Mike Johnson's next move.

The new Republican leader is facing the test of his career trying to keep the U.S. government open by Friday's midnight deadline. At the same time, emergency funding for Ukraine, Israel and IndoPacific allies remains stubbornly stalled. President Joe Biden convened leaders Tuesday in hopes of pushing them toward a deal.

“We are very close to getting it done,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said as he opened his side of the Capitol on Wednesday.

Republicans are also are optimistic that a deal can be reached.

Congress is in what has become a familiar cycle of threatened shutdowns and disruptions as Johnson's hard-right Republicans in his GOP majority strive for steeper spending reductions than Democrats and even other Republicans are willing to accept.

While Johnson, R-La., inherited a difficult dynamic, it is only being compounded when his majority shrinks further Wednesday when Democrat Tom Suozzi of New York is sworn in after the special election to replace ousted GOP Rep. George Santos. The House is split 213-219, leaving Johnson no room for dissent.

Under the new plan being considered, Congress would approve temporary measures to keep government running until the end of the month, past Friday's deadline and another upcoming deadline next week. The plan is in flux and contingent on the negotiators wrapping up broader agreements to fund the government through the end of the budget year, Sept. 30, to avoid further short-term measures — known as a continuing resolutions or CR — or shutdown threats.

“Any CR would be part of a larger agreement to finish a number of appropriations bills, ensuring adequate time for drafting text and for members to review prior to casting votes,” Johnson's press secretary, Athina Lawson, said in a statement.

Top military officials said at a Pentagon briefing that the delay in passing a 2024 budget has affected the military as it has responded to crises over the past several months without additional new money to do so.

“If we have a much longer CR and we don't have the supplemental, I think, then we have some very significant costs that we're going to have to overcome,” said Gabe Camarillo, the Army undersecretary.

Meanwhile, Western allies are keeping close tabs on Johnson to see whether he will consider Biden's request for $95 billion in emergency funds for Ukraine and the overseas national security needs.

The Senate overwhelmingly approved the $95 billion supplemental request earlier this month that includes $60 billion for Ukraine as its military runs short of munitions to fight Russian President Vladimir Putin. About half the Ukraine money would boost U.S. defense manufacturing as part of the war effort.