Congress facing tight deadline to avoid shutdown

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- The federal government runs out of money in a week and Republican leadership in the House is still struggling to find a plan to stop the shutdown. While the House remains on break, the most conservative House GOP members have gathered at the annual CPAC meeting just outside of Washington, D.C.

House lawmakers aren’t scheduled to return to Washington until next week, just 48 hours before the first funding deadline.

“The clock is ticking, and so what do we do next?” asked Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.)

Congress has until midnight on March 1st to pass at least 4 of the 12 appropriations bills to avoid a partial government shutdown.

So far House Speaker Mike Johnson has been silent on how he plans to keep the government running.  Johnson is already facing pushback from members of his own party who can't agree on where the money goes and what programs get funded.

“The conference is wide, it's broad, and folks don't want to be pinned down to something,” said Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.)

Hard-line conservatives including Republican Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene are demanding spending cuts.

“We're over 34 trillion dollars in debt…It is a disaster, it is a joke, it is pathetic,” she said.

Congressman Byron Donalds says he won't vote for any spending bill until Congress first addresses the southern border.

“Do you want to close Mount Rushmore? so the southern border can be open...You either secure the southern border or you get no money for the government” Donalds (R-Fla.) said.

Their demands won't pass the Democrat-controlled Senate and Democrats say the Republican's bickering must stop.

“This is the state of today's Republican party. It is why it is so challenging to get anything done in Congress,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-Texas.).

The House is scheduled to return next Wednesday.