Pennsylvania's House Republican leaders in Harrisburg strongly urged the U.S. Senate on Monday to dodge a federal government shutdown as a Sept. 30 deadline loomed, according to a letter obtained by the Post-Gazette.

“We urgently call on the Senate to immediately pass a clean short-term funding extension to prevent a government shutdown that would deeply harm hardworking Americans across our states,” the lawmakers, led by Republican leader state Rep. Jesse Topper and GOP Whip Rep. Tim O’Neal, wrote to U.S. Senate leaders.

The letter was sent just a few hours before President Donald Trump and Democratic and Republican lawmakers were poised to meet in the White House to discuss a stopgap spending plan that’s yet again put the spotlight on Washington’s stark political divides.

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