As shutdown looms, congressional leaders ready stopgap bill to extend government funding to March

By LISA MASCARO and MARY CLARE JALONICK
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congressional leaders are preparing a stopgap bill to keep the federal government running into March and avoid a partial shutdown next week. The temporary measure will run to March 1 for some federal agencies whose approved funds are set to run out Friday and extend the remainder of government operations to March 8. That’s according to a person familiar with the situation and granted anonymity to discuss it. Expected to be released Sunday, the bill would come as Johnson has been under pressure from his hard-right flank in recent days to jettison a recent bipartisan spending deal with Senate Democrats.