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The drama left Johnson huddling with allies in his Capitol office to come up with a Plan B that would keep the government financed and avoid the political pain of a shutdown come Dec. 21.

Congress is working to clear for President Joe Biden fiscal 2025 legislation prior to this month’s deadline. A new session of Congress is scheduled to start in early January.

WASHINGTON — The threat of a federal government shutdown ended late Sept. 30, hours before a midnight deadline, as Congress approved a temporary funding bill to keep agencies open.

Varying perspectives on Capitol Hill regarding federal funding priorities point to potential disruptions at certain agencies, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said recently.

A government shutdown would have a cascading economic effect, beginning mildly and deepening over time as many go without pay and consumer uncertainty grows over Washington’s dysfunction.

The U.S. is on track for an Oct. 1 government shutdown despite incremental progress late Sept. 26 in the House and Senate on rival spending bills.

Senate Democratic and Republican leaders agreed Sept. 26 on a plan to keep the government open through mid-November and provide $6 billion in assistance to Ukraine.

Moderate Republicans are working with Democrats on a rarely used procedure to shorten a near-certain U.S. government shutdown and protect themselves from the anticipated backlash.

WASHINGTON — The White House is preparing to direct federal agencies to get ready for a shutdown after House Republicans left town for the weekend with no plan to keep the government funded.

House Democrats released a bipartisan short-term spending bill to keep the government open after midnight Dec. 3 and plan to put it to a House vote later Dec. 2.