The United States government is set to shut down unless Congress passes an appropriations bill to fund its operations.

Without this legislation, federal agencies will be forced to suspend nonessential activities starting on Wednesday at 12:01am in Washington, DC (04:01 GMT).

Although Republicans control the House of Representatives, Senate and White House, they cannot pass the bill on their own. While Republicans have 53 of the 100 seats in the Senate, 60 votes are needed to advance the bill to a vote.

Republicans have proposed a short-term spending plan, but Democrats have been trying to use the approaching shutdown as leverage. They are pushing to reverse Medicaid cuts included in tax legislation passed in July and extend tax credits for healthcare purchased through government excha

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