Lawmakers Struggling To Avoid Government Shutdown

Paul Ryan

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by Associated Press

Story Created: Apr 8, 2011 at 3:18 PM EDT

Story Updated: Apr 8, 2011 at 3:18 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Uncomfortably close to a deadline, Republicans and Democrats have failed to reach agreement in middle-of-the-night talks as the government moves closer to a partial shutdown that all sides say would inconvenience millions of people and damage a still fragile economy.

Republicans said the principal hang-up in the negotiations center on the size of the spending cuts to be included in any deal to fund the government through September, when the current budget year ends. But Democrats said that a GOP demand to deny federal dollars for Planned Parenthood is at the heart of the deadlock.

Barring an agreement or perhaps another temporary bill to keep the government operating, the shutdown would begin at midnight.

It's unclear whether the top leaders in Congress will return Friday to the White House.

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
 

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