U.S. House speaker "optimistic" Congress will avoid government shutdown

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson speaks during a press conference in the Capitol building before an impeachment vote against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in Washington, D.C., the United States, Feb. 6, 2024. (Photo by Aaron Schwartz/Xinhua)

"We will get the government funded and we'll keep working on that," says Mike Johnson.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 27 (Xinhua) -- U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday he is "very optimistic" that Congress will avoid a government shutdown by the Friday deadline, after meeting with President Joe Biden and top congressional leaders at the White House.

"We believe that we can get to agreement on these issues and prevent a government shutdown, and that's our first responsibility," said Johnson, a conservative Republican from Louisiana.

"We will get the government funded and we'll keep working on that," Johnson told reporters after the White House meeting, less than four days before the deadline for partial government funding.

This deadline is crucial as four out of the 12 spending bills are set to expire. Failure to take congressional action this week will result in the closure of numerous federal programs and agencies. The remaining eight bills are due to expire on March 8.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, meanwhile, said that during a private meeting on Tuesday with Biden and other congressional leaders, Johnson expressed a strong desire to unequivocally avoid a government shutdown.

In January, Congress approved a stopgap funding bill that would keep the government open into early March, buying lawmakers more time to finish the formal appropriations process for fiscal year 2024, which began on Oct. 1, 2023.

Congress previously approved stopgap funding measures in September and in November 2023.

Despite Johnson's efforts to steer clear of another so-called "continuing resolution," there may be limited alternatives available at this point, according to the Politico.