两党的国会领导人都表示，越来越愿意将为政府提供资金的最后期限推迟到今年晚些时候，这可能会推迟一个迫在眉睫的问题政府关门直到冬天，为立法者赢得更多的时间来讨论政府拨款法案。

一位知情人士告诉ABC新闻，在昨晚与共和党会议就即将到来的政府拨款法案进行的闭门会议中，众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡告诉他的会议，他越来越愿意通过一项临时拨款法案，以使政府在当前的9月30日截止日期后获得资金。

麦卡锡的立场略有变化，他之前对支持一项名为“持续决议”的短期措施犹豫不决。

2023年7月27日，众议院议长凯文·麦卡锡在DC对媒体发表讲话。

索尔·勒布/法新社

麦卡锡在闭门会议中对议员们说:“我确实预计需要一个短期的CR来完成我们开始做的所有工作。”"但我不想让参议院在假期给我们添堵。"

劳动节过后，国会又回来了，留给他们的时间只有几周来制定前进的道路。

麦卡锡提出的安排可能会看到国会在未来几周投票，以保持政府资金在目前水平，可能直到12月初。在周二上午的新闻发布会上，参议院多数党领袖查克·舒默表示，他支持麦卡锡的提议。

“我认为他认识到我们需要在9月份进行CR是一件好事。我对此表示支持，”舒默说。" 12月初之前的CR为考虑这些两党议案提供了时间."

舒默表示，他和麦卡锡在7月下旬的一次会议上讨论了短期融资措施的必要性，就在议员们开始为期一个月的休会之前。舒默说，12月初的最后期限“是有道理的”。

麦卡锡和舒默步调一致的情况相对少见，尤其是在政府拨款等问题上。但仅仅因为麦卡锡准备接受短期政府拨款法案并不意味着他的极右翼也是如此。

众议员奇普·罗伊(Chip Roy)是众议院自由核心小组(House Freedom Caucus)的成员，这是众议院共和党内的一个保守派别，他周一晚上在Twitter Spaces上表示，在麦卡锡告诉成员们期待短期CR之后，保守派必须“坚守阵地”。

“我不认为我们应该在9月30日同意一项CR，”罗伊说。

罗伊的反对反映了自由核心小组的观点。在8月休会前在国会大厦举行的新闻发布会上，自由核心小组的一些成员表示，众议院共和党人是时候使用一切可用的工具来实现他们想要的支出削减了。

对于麦卡锡来说，即使是通过一项短期拨款法案也是一个困难的策略:他将努力保持自己在会议上的地位，同时寻求转移关闭。

麦卡锡可以在没有他的一些共和党同事签署的情况下通过一项短期法案，但可能需要一些众议院民主党人的支持才能通过终点线。

这就是为什么舒默呼吁众议院随着谈判的继续“效仿”参议院。到目前为止，参议院在很大程度上以两党合作的方式处理其拨款法案，在两党的压倒性支持下将法案通过委员会。

“如果我们以两党合作的方式来做这件事，我们可以避免政府关门，”舒默说。

对于麦卡锡和众议院共和党人来说，说起来容易做起来难。

如果议员们成功地避免了9月份的政府关门，他们和成功通过所有12项政府拨款法案之间仍有大量的工作要做。麦卡锡周一晚上的电话没有缓解一些温和派人士对更大进程的担忧。

“我刚刚接到一个成员电话-很明显，拜登总统和麦卡锡议长希望政府关闭，所以这就是国会在我们9月返回后将做的事情，”来自德克萨斯州的温和共和党众议员托尼·冈萨雷斯在推特上说。“每个人都应该做好相应的规划。”

Congressional leaders warm to idea of punting a looming government shutdown

Congressional leaders in both parties are signaling an increased willingness to punt the deadline to fund the government to later this year, possibly delaying a loominggovernment shutdownuntil the winter and buying lawmakers more time to hash out government funding bills.

During a closed call with the Republican conference last night focused on the upcoming government funding bills, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy told his conference that he's increasingly open to passing a stop-gap funding bill to keep the government funded past the current Sept. 30 deadline, a source familiar with the call told ABC News.

It's a slight change in position for McCarthy, who was previously hesitant to endorse a short-term measure, called a continuing resolution, or "CR."

"I do expect a short-term CR will be needed to finish all the work that we set out to do," McCarthy told members during the closed call. "But I don't want the Senate to jam us against the holidays."

Congress returns after Labor Day, leaving them with just weeks to work out a path forward.

The arrangement McCarthy is proposing could see Congress voting in the coming weeks to keep the government funded at current levels possibly through early December. During a press call Tuesday morning, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he was supportive of McCarthy's proposal.

"I thought it was a good thing that he recognized that we need a CR in September. I am supportive of that," Schumer said. "A CR until early December provides time for consideration of these bipartisan bills."

Schumer said he and McCarthy discussed the need for a short-term funding measure during a meeting in late July, just before lawmakers departed for their month-long recess. An early December deadline "makes sense," Schumer said.

It's relatively rare to see McCarthy and Schumer in lockstep, especially on issues such as government funding. But just because McCarthy is prepared to embrace a short-term government funding bill doesn't mean his far-right flank is.

Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the House Freedom Caucus -- a conservative faction within the House GOP, said on Twitter Spaces Monday night that conservatives have to "hold the line" after McCarthy told members to expect a short-term CR.

"I don't believe we should agree to a CR on Sept. 30," Roy said.

Roy's opposition is reflective of sentiments of the Freedom Caucus. At a press conference at the Capitol before breaking for August, some members of the Freedom Caucus said it was time for House Republicans to use every tool available to get the spending cuts they want.

For McCarthy, it will be a difficult a maneuver passing even a short-term funding bill: he will be fighting to remain in his position atop the conference while simultaneously looking to divert a shutdown

McCarthy could pass a short-term bill without some of his Republican colleagues signing on, but will likely require the support of some House Democrats to get it over the finish line.

That's why Schumer called on the House to "emulate" the Senate as negotiations continue. The Senate has so far handled its funding bills in a largely bipartisan matter, passing the bills out of committee with overwhelming support from both parties.

"If we do this in a bipartisan way, we can avoid a government shutdown," Schumer said.

That may be easier said than done for McCarthy and House Republicans.

If lawmakers do manage to successfully avert a shutdown in September, there's still a mountain of work between them and successful passage of all 12 government-funding bills. McCarthy's Monday night call did little to ease concerns from some moderates about the larger process.

"I just got off a member call -- it's clear President Biden and Speaker McCarthy want a government shutdown, so that's what Congress will do after we return in September," Rep. Tony Gonzalez, moderate Republican from Texas, tweeted. "Everyone should plan accordingly."