As the clock ticks down to October 1, the start of the new fiscal year, Republican lawmakers in Congress are locked in a heated internal debate over how to prevent a government shutdown. With just 14 legislative days left after the August recess, the pressure is on for House and Senate GOP members to agree on funding the federal government. But with razor-thin majorities in both chambers, the path forward looks anything but smooth.

The central issue? Whether to pass a short-term extension of current funding levels—known as a continuing resolution (CR)—or to push for a full-year CR, a proposal that’s splitting the party. Fiscal conservatives like House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris (R-Md.) are floating the idea of a year-long CR, arguing it would effectively cut government scope in an era of 2.7% inflation. “A funding freeze is a real cut,” Harris told reporters, a sentiment echoed cautiously by Rep. Eric Burlison (R-Mo.), though he called a CR a form of “surrender.”

Yet, this idea has drawn sharp criticism from mainstream Republicans and defense hawks, who warn of dire consequences, especially for military funding. One anonymous House GOP lawmaker called the full-year CR concept “absolutely ridiculous,” arguing it undermines national defense. On the other side, hardline conservatives like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) are rejecting any CR, declaring on social media that a September 30th extension is “totally unacceptable.”

In the Senate, frustration is palpable. Lawmakers like Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) have dismissed a year-long CR as a continuation of Biden-era policies, insisting Congress must take responsibility for proper appropriations. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) remains optimistic, pointing to progress on funding bills and refusing to label the process as broken—yet.

With the House on recess and the Senate possibly working through part of August, time is a luxury lawmakers don’t have. The House has passed just two of 12 appropriations bills, while the Senate Appropriations Committee has cleared six. Meanwhile, some GOP members are eyeing President Trump’s $1.7 trillion budget proposal as the priority, with figures like Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) advocating for a line-by-line review to cut wasteful spending.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. A government shutdown under full Republican control, as Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-Wis.) noted, is a scenario no one can afford. But with divisions deepening, the question remains: can the GOP unite in time, or are we headed for yet another last-minute crisis?

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