Lawmakers Voting Tuesday On Bill To Avert Government Shutdown

Democratic and Republican congressional leaders are at the White House for a meeting with President Donald Trump on Monday, in a late effort to avoid a government shutdown. If government funding legislation isn’t passed by Congress and signed by Trump on Tuesday night, many government offices across the nation will be temporarily shuttered and nonexempt federal employees will be furloughed. Republicans are daring Democrats to vote against legislation that would keep government funding mostly at current levels, but Democrats have held firm. They’re using one of their few points of leverage to demand Congress take up legislation to extend health care benefits.