Federal Government Policy and Business

Shutdown fears rise as lawmakers clash on Capitol Hill

The Washington Post: Lawmakers clashed over immigration Tuesday as a top House Democrat refused to guarantee votes from his party to keep the government open, ratcheting up chances for a shutdown at week’s end.

Days away from a government funding deadline and lacking a long-term deal, Republicans are expected to offer a short-term agreement that would stave off a shutdown and leave many of the larger questions unresolved. But Democrats are seeking concessions and threatening to block even a stopgap spending measure if they don’t get them.

“We don’t want to shut down the government — we never want to,” House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) told reporters. “We want to keep the government open, but I will repeat, we’re not going to be held hostage to do things we think are contrary to the best interest of the American people.”

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