Lawmakers deadlock as Oct funding deadline nears, shutdown risk

With federal funding set to lapse in early October, lawmakers remained deadlocked in Washington, making a government shutdown increasingly likely. House Republicans have proposed a short term funding measure to keep the government operating through Nov. 21, but Senate and House Democrats say any stopgap must undo Medicaid cuts in the administration's summer spending package and extend Affordable Care Act marketplace tax credits. Republicans have rejected those demands as a nonstarter, and the House was not expected to be in session before a lapse would begin, officials said.

When federal appropriations lapse, agencies must halt nonessential activity and furlough employees whose work is not excepted under federal law. Excepted workers who protect life and property remain on the job but are not paid during the shutdown. During the 35 day partial shutdown under the previous administration, roughly 340,000 of the 800,000 federal workers at affected agencies were furloughed, with the remainder required to continue working, records show.

A substantial portion of government activity would continue. Investigators at the FBI and officers at the CIA would remain on duty, air traffic...