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As the March 14 deadline looms, Congress remains deeply divided over averting a potential government shutdown, with Republicans and Democrats struggling to find common ground amid unprecedented challenges posed by President Donald Trump’s recent actions.

The negotiations have become increasingly complex following Trump’s decisions to halt foreign aid and terminate numerous federal employees. These actions have emerged as the primary obstacle in reaching an agreement to extend government funding beyond mid-March.

Democratic leaders are seeking safeguards to prevent Trump and his budget advisor, Elon Musk, from implementing further workforce reductions or program eliminations. Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers maintain that Democratic attempts to reverse Trump’s decisions are unacceptable.

“We will continue to make clear that the law has to be followed,” House Democrat Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters late last week.

“The bigger issue is the Democrats’ insistence on putting poison pills into the bill that would restrict the president’s abilities,” Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, told reporters last week.

Collins expressed optimism about reaching an agreement with Democrats to maintain current funding levels through September’s fiscal year end, a proposition Trump has endorsed on social media. However, Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.) warns this approach could give Trump excessive discretion over fund allocation and potentially undermine crucial safety net programs.

The proposed spending agreement would only cover specific agencies, including Defense and Environmental Protection, without addressing mounting borrowing costs or expanding entitlement programs. House Republicans are simultaneously pushing for an extension of Trump’s 2017 tax cuts, with their recently passed House version proposing $4.5 trillion in tax reductions and $2 trillion in spending cuts over ten years.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., addressed the situation on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” stating “We are working hard to do our responsibility to keep the government open. We need our Democrat colleagues to come to the table and be reasonable about that.”

Johnson’s narrow 218-215 majority has previously required Democratic support for legislation passage. The Senate’s 53-47 Republican majority also falls short of the 60-vote threshold typically needed for major legislation.

The administration continues its downsizing efforts, with agencies preparing for additional layoffs beyond the 100,000 workers already affected. A failure to reach an agreement by March 14 would trigger widespread furloughs and service disruptions.

As tensions rise, both parties have begun assigning blame. While Jeffries emphasizes Republican responsibility given their control of Congress and the White House, Rep. John Rutherford (R-Fla.) contends that Democratic opposition to a “clean” extension would make them responsible for any shutdown.