Congress Faces Tall Task to Fund Government, Risk of Shutdown Looms
• Congress unlikely to pass all 12 appropriations bills funding the government before the Jan 19 deadline, experts say.
• House has limited time when they return from 3-week Christmas/New Year's recess, needing to pass 5 more bills and finalize 7 others.
• Disagreements among House Republicans over reducing expenditures has stalled several bills.
• Likelihood of having to combine bills into one omnibus package, which Republicans oppose, to avoid a shutdown.
• House Speaker Johnson vowed no more continuing resolutions, though may require concessions to Senate Democrats.