With a government shutdown just hours away, Democrats and Republicans in Congress are angrily blaming each other and refusing to budge from their positions. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says Republicans are trying to "bully" Democrats by refusing to negotiate. Senate Majority Leader John Thune says Republicans "are not going to be held hostage" by the Democrats' demands, which include an extension of health care benefits. To avoid a shutdown at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, the Senate would have to pass a House measure that would extend federal funding for seven weeks while lawmakers finish their work on annual spending bills. But a resolution appears far off.

Elon Musk is leaving his government role as a top adviser to President Donald Trump after spearheading efforts to reduce and overhaul the federal bureaucracy. The billionaire entrepreneur posted Wednesday about his decision on X, his social media website. "As my scheduled time as a Special Government Employee comes to an end, I would like to thank President @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to reduce wasteful spending," he wrote. A White House official, who requested anonymity to talk about the change, confirmed that Musk was leaving. Musk's departure comes one day after he criticized the centerpiece of Trump's legislative agenda, saying he was "disappointed" by what the president calls his "big beautiful bill."

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer says he won't resign his post, despite pressure from some in the party after he voted to move forward with Republican spending legislation that avoided a government shutdown. Schumer said in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" that aired Sunday, "Look, I'm not stepping down." The New York senator's move has sparked outrage from some Democrats and progressive activists who protested at Schumer's office, calling on him to resign his position. Schumer's critics have pushed for him face a primary challenge — perhaps from New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

House Republicans passed a critical test of their unity on legislation to avoid a partial government shutdown, teeing up a final vote for a measure that keeps federal agencies funded through September. Republicans needed overwhelming support from their members on the procedural vote, and they got it. Next, they'll look to pass the measure Tuesday afternoon and send it to the Senate, where it will likely need support from at least eight Senate Democrats to get to President Donald Trump's desk. It's one of the biggest legislative tests so far of the Republican president's second term, prompting Vice President JD Vance to visit Capitol Hill on Tuesday morning to rally support.

Negotiations to avoid a federal government shutdown in two weeks have not been going well. Lawmakers have yet to agree on spending top-line numbers even though the current budget year began in October. Plus, Democrats are seeking assurances that would ensure President Donald Trump's administration follows Congress' directions on how the money would be spent. The disagreements and the new political dynamic in Washington raises questions about whether lawmakers will avoid a shutdown this time. As a substitute, House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Donald Trump are now pursuing a stopgap measure that would generally fund agencies and programs at the 2024 spending levels through September 30.