Congress Racing Against Time to Avoid Government Shutdown

The U. S. House of Representatives is in a rush to pass the final funding bills before the January 30 deadline to keep the government running. After the longest government shutdown in history last year, lawmakers are trying to avoid a repeat. The House is set to vote on four key funding bills that cover important areas like defense, health, education, and homeland security. There are some roadblocks, though. A group of conservative Republicans is pushing for changes, and another faction wants a provision to allow the year-round sale of E15 fuel. The House Rules Committee had to meet again on Thursday to sort out these issues before moving forward. One of the biggest hurdles is the funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Democrats are upset about a recent incident involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer and want reforms before they support the bill. The bill includes some new rules, like requirements for officers to wear body cameras, but Democrats say it's not enough. House Speaker Mike Johnson thinks the bill will pass, but it's not a sure thing.The House has a slim Republican majority, so they might need some Democratic votes to get the bill through. Johnson is urging lawmakers to support the bills, saying they will fund important Republican priorities like border security and infrastructure. If the House passes the bills, they will head to the Senate. The Senate has a tight schedule, with only a few days left before the deadline and a winter storm that could delay senators' return to Washington. They will have to work quickly to avoid a partial government shutdown. This process is a big deal because it's a return to the regular way of funding the government, instead of the last-minute "omnibus" packages that have been common in recent years. Johnson is proud of this achievement, saying that critics thought it couldn't be done.