US House Republicans Expect Federal Gov't Shutdown

According to reports from Moscow's Sputnik, Republican Party lawmakers in the US House of Representatives are foreseeing a potential federal government shutdown unless a decision on further funding is reached. 

Axios, citing an unnamed Republican Party lawmaker in the House, states that there are predictions of a shutdown, even if brief, unless House Speaker Mike Johnson can find a resolution.

The news portal notes that a partial shutdown is imminent if the US government fails to pass a budget or a stopgap spending measure by March 1. Moreover, if there is no agreement on either a budget or spending stopgap by March 8, the prospect of a complete government shutdown becomes a reality.

In response to these concerns, Johnson stated last week that the House would meet the specified deadlines.

Upon the return of US Congress members from a recess, the House speaker is poised to confront a challenging dilemma. According to the news outlet, the choice lies between persisting in the budget dispute with House Democrats, risking a lack of resolution for government funding, or opting for a compromise that could potentially jeopardize the House speaker's own position.

The news report quotes one of the House subcommittee chairs conveying to a Republican colleague that the situation is at a critical juncture, stating that they are either "close to reaching a deal or it's about to blow up." This underscores the delicate balance and high stakes involved in the decision-making process as the government funding deadline looms.