Government Shutdown

Republicans and Democrats staved off a painful government shutdown this weekend — but only temporarily. The new funding deadlines are March 8 and March 22.

Both parties have reached a deal to fund part of the government and agreed to extend the current deadlines to March 8 and March 22. They still have to get it through Congress.

Ahead of a Friday night deadline, some senators say it's too late to keep the government open unless there's another short-term bill to keep funds flowing.

Once again, lawmakers are racing to prevent a catastrophe of their own making. They must meet two deadlines to fund the government: One Friday night and another next week.

Part of the government is set to shut down at 12:01 a.m. Saturday unless Congress acts. The rest would shut down March 8.

The House will vote on four funding bills next week to stave off a partial government shutdown, the speaker told House Republicans on a conference call Friday night.

The legislation keeps the government open on a short-term basis until March 1, when the first of two funding deadlines will hit. The second will be on March 8.

The Republican speaker is grappling with two dilemmas, caught in a bind between the Democratic Senate and a restive right flank that has already raised threats to his gavel.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, under fire from the same conservative rabble-rousers who tormented his predecessor as he tries to keep the government funded, said he made no commitments to the group.

The deal is an important step to averting a government shutdown, but the threat isn't extinguished yet. Congress still needs to allocate the money, write the bills and pass them.

Lawmakers were optimistic about avoiding a shutdown earlier this week, but a House GOP visit to the border has the right raising a new demand.