U.S. Faces Looming Shutdown as Senate Democrats Reject Stopgap Budget

A Republican-backed funding bill has passed the House, but Senate Democrats propose a shorter-term alternative to prevent a government shutdown.

The U.S. government risks a shutdown starting Friday night unless Congress agrees on a funding resolution.
The House narrowly passed a Republican-backed six-month stopgap budget, which includes $13 billion in domestic spending cuts and increased defense funding.
Senate Democrats have rejected the House proposal, instead advocating for a 30-day funding extension to allow more negotiations.
If no agreement is reached, hundreds of thousands of federal employees face unpaid leave or work without pay, disrupting public services.
The budget debate reflects broader partisan divisions, with Democrats opposing cuts to social programs and Republicans pushing for reduced government spending.