Deadline today for Democrats and Republicans to make a Deal

Trump, Dems Leave Meeting Without Shutdown Deal

By the time this blog launches, a deal might have been made

Congressional leaders on Monday left a White House meeting with President Trump without a deal to avoid a government shutdown before government funding lapses in a little more than 24 hours.

Both Republicans and Democrats remain dug in on their positions. Barring a last-minute breakthrough, a shutdown is increasingly likely.

Democrats are demanding that Republicans agree to concessions on health care to illegals. The GOP is set on a clean seven-week funding extension.

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Democratic leaders are pushing for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies from the COVID-19 era, set to expire this year, and a reversal of Republican-supported Medicaid changes.

If no deal is struck, at 00:01 EDT on Wednesday (05:01 BST), the US will have its first shutdown for nearly seven years. At this point, prospects for some kind of government shutdown appear high, and Vice-President JD Vance said as much after Trump met the congressional leaders on Monday.

Republicns want to reduce government and our national debt is just under $37.0 trillion, a figure that grows when government spending exceeds its revenue, which Democrats continue to do.