Congress Races Against Time to Prevent Government Shutdown

U.S. Congress Republicans make a third attempt to prevent a government shutdown as previous plans falter due to internal disagreements and pressure from President-elect Trump. If unresolved, the shutdown will disrupt essential services and leave millions of federal workers unpaid. A new spending package proposal is underway.

In a race against time, Republicans in the U.S. Congress are making a third attempt to prevent a government shutdown, with their previous plans having been derailed by disagreements within the party and President-elect Trump's opposition.

If Congress fails to enact a spending package before midnight on Friday, critical services ranging from law enforcement to national parks will be disrupted, and millions of federal employees will be unpaid during the holiday season. There are warnings that travel could be significantly affected, leading to long lines at airports.

The situation has led to intense debates over elements such as disaster aid and government funding extensions. With the debt ceiling also remaining a contentious issue, the House is expected to vote on separate packages in the hopes of avoiding fiscal chaos as Trump takes office in January.

(With inputs from agencies.)