US braces for government shutdown as Congress races to reach budget deal


(MENAFN) The United States is bracing for a government shutdown as members of Congress race to reach a last-minute budget agreement that would keep federal services financed until the new year.

Early on Friday, US media claimed that the Office of Management and Budget, run by departing President Joe Biden, had already indicated that government agencies should prepare to shut down.

On Saturday at 12:01 AM East Coast time (05:01 GMT), government financing will expire.
However, at a midday news briefing on Friday, White House news Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed confidence, stating that a government shutdown might be avoided if a bipartisan agreement is reached.

“There’s still time. We believe there’s still time for that to not happen,” Jean-Pierre stated. “Our focus is keeping the government open. That’s what we want to see.”

But as the day's congressional deliberations went on, Republicans and Democrats traded accusations, and the budget package was beginning to resemble a final duel between Biden and his successor, President-elect Donald Trump.

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