As the deadline for the federal government to secure funding approaches, tensions within the Republican Party continue to hinder progress on passing a stopgap spending bill. With just a week left before Washington runs out of money, Congress has failed to complete any of the 12 regular spending bills necessary to fund federal agency programs for the upcoming fiscal year.

House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy is set to present a comprehensive plan, including military and homeland security funding, in an attempt to gain support from far-right Republicans. McCarthy hopes that by demonstrating progress on these key issues, he can garner enough support to pass a stopgap spending bill, also known as a continuing resolution (CR).

However, some Republican representatives, who are demanding deeper spending cuts than those previously agreed upon, remain unwilling to compromise. Tony Gonzalez, one of these holdouts, argued that continuing resolutions only delay the problem and do not provide a long-term solution. Similarly, Representative Tim Burchett expressed his refusal to support a temporary funding bill and cautioned that he would consider taking action to strip McCarthy of his speakership if he allows legislation to pass with Democratic support.

The disagreement within the party extends to the desired spending cuts for the new fiscal year. While President Joe Biden signed a deal with McCarthy in June that included $1.5 trillion in spending cuts over the next decade, ultra-right House Republicans are pushing for an additional $120 billion in cuts. These cuts could impact a range of programs, including education, environmental protection, Internal Revenue Service enforcement, and medical research.

The potential consequences of a government shutdown are already being felt, with Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg warning that his agency would have to immediately suspend air traffic controller training courses. This would come at a time when air travel is just beginning to recover from the disruptions and delays experienced last year.

Despite the urgency of the situation, negotiations over the CR's terms were uncertain on Sunday. McCarthy's proposed plan includes a 30-day funding bill to keep federal offices open, coupled with a strict border security plan that would heavily restrict immigration into the United States. However, some Senate Republicans, even those known for their conservative views, have appealed to their House counterparts to stop blocking the stopgap bill, emphasizing the importance of keeping the government functioning and enabling ongoing investigations into the Biden administration.

As the deadline looms, the future of federal funding remains uncertain. The dysfunctional state of Congress and the budget process, which is projected to result in a $1.5 trillion deficit for the fiscal year, only adds to the urgency of finding a resolution.