Lawmakers under pressure despite deal with five days to go until shutdown deadline

Just five days remain until a key government funding deadline, and even after congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle announced a deal to avert a shutdown until March, the schedule leaves little room for error.

On Sunday night, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer released text for a continuing resolution to extend government funding into March, legislation that will need to pass both chambers of Congress before the end of this week in order to avoid a partial lapse in government funding.

Johnson said in a statement the short-term spending bill “is required to complete what House Republicans are working hard to achieve: an end to governance by omnibus, meaningful policy wins, and better stewardship of American tax dollars.”

The two-tiered continuing resolution deal, which would fund the government past both shutdown deadlines through March 1 and March 8, was reached just days before the first funding deadline of January 19.

Caught between hardliners and moderates and navigating an extremely narrow majority, Johnson is under intense pressure and has already faced fierce criticism from conservatives over a topline spending deal he struck with Schumer, which was announced earlier this month.

The conservative House Freedom Caucus criticized Johnson’s proposal shortly after it was released Sunday night.

“This is what surrender looks like,” the caucus posted on X.

Given the opposition from conservatives, congressional leaders will likely need bipartisan support in both chambers to quickly pass the legislation ahead of Friday’s deadline, a fact Schumer cited on Sunday.

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 24: The U.S. Capitol Dome is seen as House Republicans continue to search for a