(NewsNation) — As a possible partial government shutdown looms, top congressional leaders will meet with President Joe Biden on Tuesday at the White House in an attempt to secure a short-term government funding deal ahead of Friday’s deadline.
Government funding will run out for four appropriation measures Friday at midnight if a deal is not met, which Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., warned could impact things like food programs, veterans services and housing loans.
It could even cause travel delays because the Department of Transportation would also be impacted.
With only a few days remaining to reach a deal, Tuesday’s meeting at the White House will directly focus on government spending — including foreign aid and funding for Ukraine.
Some House Republicans want to see these negotiations lead to spending cuts as well as big changes along the border, but House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has already warned they may be somewhat disappointed.
In a recent private call with party members, Johnson said, “I don’t think anybody on this call thinks that we’re going to be able to use the appropriations process to fundamentally remake major areas of policy. If you’re expecting a lot of home runs and grand slams here, I admit you’ll be disappointed.”
The top two leaders in the Senate have also raised concerns about not reaching a deal.
“Even a partial shutdown would mean chaos and pain for the American people,” Schumer said.
“Shutting down the government is harmful to the country. And it never produces positive outcomes on either policy or politics,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said.
This marks the fourth time over the last several months Congress has faced a possible shutdown. Every previous occurrence led to a short-term funding deal, which is what could be seen again this week.
