WASHINGTON (NEWSnet/AP) — Congressional leaders are pitching a stopgap government funding package to avoid a federal shutdown after September, acknowledging the House and Senate have no agreement on spending levels to keep federal operations running.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy raised the idea of a months-long funding package, known as a continuing resolution, to House Republicans on a members-only call Monday, according to those familiar with the private session and granted anonymity to discuss it.

On Tuesday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the two leaders had spoken about a temporary measure. It would extend federal funding operations into December, to allow more time to work on the annual spending bills.

A stopgap measure that would keep government offices running past the Sept. 30 fiscal-year is a typical strategy while the House and Senate try to develop a long-term budget agreement. The government’s next fiscal year begins Oct. 1, when funding approval is needed to avert closure of federal offices.

McCarthy will need to convince a large portion of Republican colleagues to pass the stopgap bill. Conservatives, including many from the House Freedom Caucus, usually hesitate to get behind short-term funding measures as they push for steeper spending cuts, using the threat of a shutdown as leverage.

Democrats alongside President Joe Biden don't necessarily want a shutdown, but would be quick to blame Republicans for instigating it, arguing that Republicans are the ones driving for spending reductions.

All sides had agreed to budget levels recently during debt-ceiling negotiations, as Biden and McCarthy agreed to established topline spending levels. But McCarthy's GOP majority rejects those amounts.

White House Deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton was asked Tuesday if Biden is worried about a government shutdown.

“We worked in good faith to negotiate a bipartisan budget agreement a couple of months ago," Dalton said. “We’ve upheld our end of the bargain. They’ve upheld theirs, so far. We can expect that to continue.”

The White House had no immediate comment on whether Biden would sign a short-term resolution.

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