Congressional Republicans scramble to avoid a government shutdown with a stopgap spending bill

House Republican leaders are trying to unite their caucus around a bare-bones spending package that would fund the government until Jan. 19, allowing them to leave for Christmas break without having to fight Democrats over issues like immigration, health care for 9 million low-income children, and other domestic programs. House Republicans emerged from a meeting Wednesday night still split over a defense spending measure that wouldn't pass in the Senate, $81 billion in disaster relief opposed by some fiscal conservatives, and health care bills, but also wary of shutting down the government they control at midnight Friday, when the current continuing resolution expires.

"I can't think of a bigger act of political malpractice after a successful tax reform vote than to shut the government down," said Rep. Charlie Dent (R-Pa.). "Talk about stepping on your own message. I mean, really, how dumb would that be?" The Senate will vote after the House.